IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/endesu/v24y2022i1d10.1007_s10668-021-01487-w.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The circular economy potential of urban organic waste streams in low- and middle-income countries

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel Ddiba

    (KTH Royal Institute of Technology
    Stockholm Environment Institute)

  • Kim Andersson

    (Stockholm Environment Institute)

  • Arno Rosemarin

    (Stockholm Environment Institute)

  • Helfrid Schulte-Herbrüggen

    (KTH Royal Institute of Technology
    Ecoloop AB)

  • Sarah Dickin

    (Stockholm Environment Institute)

Abstract

There is growing recognition of the potential environmental and socio-economic benefits of applying a circular approach to urban organic waste management through resource recovery. Decisions around planning and implementing circular urban waste systems require estimates of the quantity of resources available in waste streams and their potential market value. However, studies assessing circular economy potential have so-far been conducted mostly in high-income countries, yet cities in low- and middle-income countries have different challenges when developing a circular economy. This paper addresses this gap by estimating the resource recovery potential of organic waste streams in the context of low- and middle-income countries, illustrated with the case of Kampala, Uganda. A simplified material flow analysis approach is used to track the transformation of waste streams, namely faecal sludge, sewage sludge and organic solid waste into the resource recovery products biogas, solid fuel, black soldier fly larvae and compost. Findings indicate that even at current rates of waste collection, the three waste streams combined could annually yield 135,000 tonnes of solid fuel or 39.6 million Nm3 of biogas or 15,000 tonnes of black soldier fly larvae or 108,000 tonnes of compost and revenues from the products could range from 5.1 million USD from compost to 47 million USD from biogas. The results demonstrate how complex information describing urban waste can be presented to facilitate decision making and planning by stakeholders. By highlighting different resource recovery opportunities, application of this approach could provide an incentive for more sustainable urban sanitation and waste management systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Ddiba & Kim Andersson & Arno Rosemarin & Helfrid Schulte-Herbrüggen & Sarah Dickin, 2022. "The circular economy potential of urban organic waste streams in low- and middle-income countries," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 1116-1144, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:24:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s10668-021-01487-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-021-01487-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10668-021-01487-w
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10668-021-01487-w?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mendum, R. & Njenga, M., 2018. "Recovering bioenergy in Sub-Saharan Africa: gender dimensions, lessons and challenges," Resource Recovery and Reuse Series H048999, International Water Management Institute.
    2. Otoo, Miriam & Hope, L. & Rao, Krishna C., 2018. "Municipal solid waste composting for cost recovery (Mbale Compost Plant, Uganda) - Case Study," IWMI Books, Reports H048654, International Water Management Institute.
    3. Njenga, M. & Mendum, R., 2018. "Recovering bioenergy in Sub-Saharan Africa: gender dimensions, lessons and challenges," IWMI Reports 284244, International Water Management Institute.
    4. Tyagi, Vinay Kumar & Lo, Shang-Lien, 2013. "Sludge: A waste or renewable source for energy and resources recovery?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 708-728.
    5. Niwagaba, C. B. & Otoo, Miriam & Hope, L, 2018. "Municipal solid waste composting for cost recovery (Mbale Compost Plant, Uganda) - Case Study," Book Chapters,, International Water Management Institute.
    6. Otoo, Miriam & Drechsel, Pay, 2018. "Resource recovery from waste: business models for energy, nutrient and water reuse in low- and middle-income countries," IWMI Books, International Water Management Institute, number 284165.
    7. Alfa, M.I. & Adie, D.B. & Igboro, S.B. & Oranusi, U.S. & Dahunsi, S.O. & Akali, D.M., 2014. "Assessment of biofertilizer quality and health implications of anaerobic digestion effluent of cow dung and chicken droppings," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 681-686.
    8. Berta Moya & Ruben Sakrabani & Alison Parker, 2019. "Realizing the Circular Economy for Sanitation: Assessing Enabling Conditions and Barriers to the Commercialization of Human Excreta Derived Fertilizer in Haiti and Kenya," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-15, June.
    9. Kirchherr, Julian & Reike, Denise & Hekkert, Marko, 2017. "Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 221-232.
    10. Danso, G. K. & Otoo, Miriam & Ekere, W. & Ddungu, S. & Madurangi, Ganesha, "undated". "Market feasibility of faecal sludge and municipal solid waste-based compost as measured by farmers’ willingness-to-pay for product attributes: evidence from Kampala, Uganda," Papers published in Journals (Open Access) H048217, International Water Management Institute.
    11. Lars Schoebitz & Fabian Bischoff & Christian Riuji Lohri & Charles B. Niwagaba & Rosi Siber & Linda Strande, 2017. "GIS Analysis and Optimisation of Faecal Sludge Logistics at City-Wide Scale in Kampala, Uganda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-16, January.
    12. Will McDowall & Yong Geng & Beijia Huang & Eva Barteková & Raimund Bleischwitz & Serdar Türkeli & René Kemp & Teresa Doménech, 2017. "Circular Economy Policies in China and Europe," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 651-661, June.
    13. Vanessa Zeller & Edgar Battand Towa Kouokam & Marc Degrez & Wouter Achten, 2019. "Urban waste flows and their potential for a circular economy model at city-region level," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/278528, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Adrian Mallory & Rochelle Holm & Alison Parker, 2020. "A Review of the Financial Value of Faecal Sludge Reuse in Low-Income Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-13, October.
    2. D. D’Amato, 2021. "Sustainability Narratives as Transformative Solution Pathways: Zooming in on the Circular Economy," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 231-242, June.
    3. Steliana Rodino & Ruxandra Pop & Cristina Sterie & Andreea Giuca & Eduard Dumitru, 2023. "Developing an Evaluation Framework for Circular Agriculture: A Pathway to Sustainable Farming," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-24, October.
    4. Surendra K Pradhan & Olufunke Cofie & Josiane Nikiema & Helvi Heinonen-Tanski, 2019. "Fecal Sludge Derived Products as Fertilizer for Lettuce Cultivation in Urban Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-15, December.
    5. Leslier Valenzuela-Fernández & Manuel Escobar-Farfán, 2022. "Zero-Waste Management and Sustainable Consumption: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Mapping Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-24, December.
    6. Yan Ma & Johan Berg Pettersen, 2023. "Life cycle assessment of pig iron production from bauxite residue: A European case study," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(6), pages 1639-1652, December.
    7. Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar & Shauhrat S. Chopra, 2022. "Leveraging Blockchain and Smart Contract Technologies to Overcome Circular Economy Implementation Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-18, August.
    8. Gilbert Silvius & Aydan Ismayilova & Vicente Sales-Vivó & Micol Costi, 2021. "Exploring Barriers for Circularity in the EU Furniture Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-25, October.
    9. Georgios Lanaras-Mamounis & Anastasios Kipritsis & Thomas A. Tsalis & Konstantinos Ι. Vatalis & Ioannis E. Nikolaou, 2022. "A Framework for Assessing the Contribution of Firms to Circular Economy: a Triple-Level Approach," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(3), pages 883-902, September.
    10. Pradhan, Surendra K. & Cofie, Olufunke & Nikiema, Josiane & Heinonen-Tanski, H., 2019. "Fecal sludge derived products as fertilizer for lettuce cultivation in urban agriculture," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 1-11(24):71.
    11. Patrizia Ghisellini & Ivana Quinto & Renato Passaro & Sergio Ulgiati, 2024. "Exploring environmental and social performances of circular start‐ups: An orientation and certification assessment," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 3222-3241, May.
    12. Hervé Corvellec & Alison F. Stowell & Nils Johansson, 2022. "Critiques of the circular economy," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(2), pages 421-432, April.
    13. Tanja van Engelenhoven & Ayalew Kassahun & Bedir Tekinerdogan, 2021. "Circular Business Processes in the State-of-the-Practice: A Survey Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-26, December.
    14. Meleddu, Marta & Vecco, Marilena & Mazzanti, Massimiliano, 2024. "The Role of Voluntary Environmental Policies Towards Achieving Circularity," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    15. OCOLIȘANU Andreea & DOBROTĂ Gabriela & AGÂRBICEANU Marcela Simona, 2022. "The Implications Of The Circular Economy On Sustainable Economic Growth," Management of Sustainable Development, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 14(1), pages 16-21, June.
    16. Nan-Hua Nadja Yang & Ana Carolina Bertassini & Jéssica Alves Justo Mendes & Mateus Cecílio Gerolamo, 2021. "The ‘3CE2CE’ Framework—Change Management Towards a Circular Economy: Opportunities for Agribusiness," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 697-718, September.
    17. Mark Anthony Camilleri, 2020. "European environment policy for the circular economy: Implications for business and industry stakeholders," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(6), pages 1804-1812, November.
    18. Leticia Sarmento dos Muchangos, 2022. "Mapping the Circular Economy Concept and the Global South," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(1), pages 71-90, March.
    19. Piotr Kafel & Krzysztof Rudziński, 2024. "The Importance of the Circular Economy Concept among Organizations within the Food Sector and a Management Systems Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-18, March.
    20. Julian Kirchherr & Andrea Urbinati & Kris Hartley, 2023. "Circular economy: A new research field?," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(5), pages 1239-1251, October.

    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:spr:endesu:v:24:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s10668-021-01487-w. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.