IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i12p9478-d1169848.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Disposable Diaper Usage and Disposal Practices in Samora Machel Township, South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Catherina J. Schenck

    (DSI/NRF/CSIR Chair in Waste and Society, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 7535, South Africa)

  • Takunda Y. Chitaka

    (DSI/NRF/CSIR Chair in Waste and Society, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 7535, South Africa)

  • Hugh Tyrrell

    (GreenEdge Consultancy, Cape Town 7708, South Africa)

  • Andrea Couvert

    (Independent Researcher, Cape Town 7925, South Africa)

Abstract

Single-use disposable diapers have a major impact on climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, especially those that are unlined, and particularly when such diapers are not well-managed and dumped in water courses and open spaces or burnt. The aim of this study was to explore the current usage and disposal practices of disposable diaper users in Samora Machel, a township in Cape Town, South Africa. The findings were to be used to inform the design and implementation of a pilot diaper collection model to follow. This urban/peri-urban area comprises lower-income, high-density communities in formal basic housing, with many backyarders and informal shacks. The dumping of diapers in open spaces and sewage systems causes severe problems. Therefore, we employed a theoretical socio-ecological system approach to guide the understanding of these complex environmental issues; the data collection methodology entailed a community-based participatory study process. Four hundred and eight (408) questionnaires consisting of quantitative and qualitative answers were codeveloped with members of the community and completed by trained community-based fieldworkers. A community walkabout and two focus groups provided rich data. The results show that complex waste streams such as disposable diapers and the related environmental issues are testing the limits of current management approaches; managing disposable diapers in underserved low-income communities creates a major burden for these already fragile communities. Single solutions will not suffice for these complex problems, so innovative waste management systems need to be codesigned with communities and relevant stakeholders to ensure sustainability, equality, and social justice.

Suggested Citation

  • Catherina J. Schenck & Takunda Y. Chitaka & Hugh Tyrrell & Andrea Couvert, 2023. "Disposable Diaper Usage and Disposal Practices in Samora Machel Township, South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-19, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:12:p:9478-:d:1169848
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/12/9478/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/12/9478/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. R. V. Niyobuhungiro & C. J. Schenck, 2022. "A global literature review of the drivers of indiscriminate dumping of waste: Guiding future research in South Africa," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(3), pages 321-337, May.
    2. Gilles Grolleau & Lisette Ibanez & Naoufel Mzoughi & Mario Teisl, 2016. "Helping eco-labels to fulfil their promises," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(6), pages 792-802, August.
    3. Juliana F. F. Amauchi & Maeva Gauthier & Abdolzaher Ghezeljeh & Leandro L. L. Giatti & Katlyn Keats & Dare Sholanke & Danae Zachari & Jutta Gutberlet, 2022. "The power of community-based participatory research: Ethical and effective ways of researching," Community Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(1), pages 3-20, January.
    4. Brueckner,Jan K. & Rabe,Claus & Selod,Harris, 2018. "Backyarding : Theory and Evidence for South Africa," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8636, The World Bank.
    5. Kyung-Shin Kim & Kyoung Jin Kim, 2018. "Evaluation of a Disposable-Diaper Collection Trial in Korea through Comparison with an Absorbent-Hygiene-Product Collection Trial in Scotland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-13, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Catherina Schenck & Hugh Tyrrell & Lizette Grobler & Rissa Niyobuhungiro & Alexander Kimani, 2024. "A Disposable Diaper Collection Project in Langa, Cape Town, South Africa: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(10), pages 1-21, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yokessa, Maïmouna & Marette, Stéphan, 2019. "A Review of Eco-labels and their Economic Impact," International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics, now publishers, vol. 13(1-2), pages 119-163, April.
    2. Asiphile Khanyile & Guy C. Caws & S’phumelele L. Nkomo & Ntandoyenkosi M. Mkhize, 2020. "Characterisation Study of Various Disposable Diaper Brands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-18, December.
    3. Chad M. Baum & Christian Gross, 2017. "Sustainability policy as if people mattered: developing a framework for environmentally significant behavioral change," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 53-95, April.
    4. Grolleau, Gilles & Midler, Estelle & Mzoughi, Naoufel, 2017. "Behavioral Insights for the Analysis of Green Tips," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 258-262.
    5. Philip R. Walsh & Rachel Dodds, 2017. "Measuring the Choice of Environmental Sustainability Strategies in Creating a Competitive Advantage," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(5), pages 672-687, July.
    6. Barkemeyer, Ralf & Young, C. William & Chintakayala, Phani Kumar & Owen, Anne, 2023. "Eco-labels, conspicuous conservation and moral licensing: An indirect behavioural rebound effect," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(PA).
    7. Navarro Ferronato & Máximo Lucio Nova Pinedo & Vincenzo Torretta, 2020. "Assessment of Used Baby Diapers Composting in Bolivia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-16, June.
    8. Migena Proi & Emilia Cubero Dudinskaya & Simona Naspetti & Emel Ozturk & Raffaele Zanoli, 2023. "The Role of Eco-Labels in Making Environmentally Friendly Choices: An Eye-Tracking Study on Aquaculture Products with Italian Consumers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-15, March.
    9. Anton P. Kazun & Andrei A. Yakovlev, 2014. "Who Demands Collective Action In An Imperfect Institutional Environment? A Case-Study Of The Professional Community Of Attorneys In Russia," HSE Working papers WP BRP 54/SOC/2014, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    10. Delmas, Magali A. & Gergaud, Olivier, 2021. "Sustainable practices and product quality: Is there value in eco-label certification? The case of wine," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    11. Gilles Grolleau & Naoufel Mzoughi & Angela Sutan, 2019. "Does advertising the green benefits of products contribute to sustainable development goals? A quasi‐experimental test of the dilution effect," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 786-793, July.
    12. Bradlow, Benjamin H. & Polloni, Stefano & Violette, William, 2023. "Public housing spillovers: Evidence from South Africa," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    13. Sofia Plakantonaki & Kyriaki Kiskira & Nikolaos Zacharopoulos & Ioannis Chronis & Fernando Coelho & Amir Togiani & Konstantinos Kalkanis & Georgios Priniotakis, 2023. "A Review of Sustainability Standards and Ecolabeling in the Textile Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-18, July.
    14. Nobomi Ngalo & Gladman Thondhlana, 2023. "Illegal Solid-Waste Dumping in a Low-Income Neighbourhood in South Africa: Prevalence and Perceptions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(18), pages 1-15, September.
    15. Lotte Hallez & Yara Qutteina & Filip Boen & Tim Smits, 2021. "The ABC’s of Ecological and Nutrition Labels. The Impact of Label Theme and Complexity on the Environmental Footprint of Online Grocery Choices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-28, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:12:p:9478-:d:1169848. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.