This three-paper dissertation explores how broader (and often unchallenged) changes to political economy at multiple geographic and economic scales impact long-standing ‘informal’ practices of waste recovery and recycling in Hanoi, Vietnam. This research is based on a survey of 575 informal waste collectors and 264 waste intermediaries as well as 73 in-depth interviews. Paper I engages in a critique of methodological disclosure in current academic writings on informal waste-recovery activities and discusses the methodological difficulties of researching informal populations. My aim in this paper is to highlight that the lack of methodological disclosure in waste-recovery literature is problematic because it compromises the academic rigour of this field and impedes the reliability of researchers’ policy recommendations as well as to initiate a dialogue with the aim of improving methodological rigour in waste-recovery literature. Paper II examines urbanization processes in contemporary Vietnam and how these changing spaces accommodate labour, and in turn support livelihoods. I argue that Vietnam’s globalizing economy and urban transition have been a catalyst for the growth of the informal waste collector population in Hanoi, as well as a partial player in the gendering of the industry. Paper III explores how one particular segment of the informal waste-recovery trade, waste intermediaries, is impacted by Hanoi’s rapid urban change. I demonstrate in this paper that 1) waste intermediaries simultaneously gain and lose as a result of Hanoi’s urban transition; and 2) the underlying forces of urban spatial change in different areas of the city are quite distinct, which will have an impact on the future of waste-recovery in Hanoi. The key findings of this dissertation are: 1)A more thorough engagement with methods and a broader approach to understanding waste-recovery actors (through an engagement with political economy at multiple geographic and economic scales) will produce a more context-appropriate and compassionate understanding of this group of urban actors. 2)The livelihoods of informal waste-recovery workers are both directly and indirectly impacted by shifts in political economy, albeit in Hanoi these impacts (both positive and negative) vary by sex and sub-occupation (with respect to waste collectors), and scale of business and location in the city (with respect to waste intermediaries).

This study evaluates the enhancement of anaerobic digestion (AD) of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) by microwave pretreatment (MW) at high temperatures (115, 145 and 175°C). The highest level of solubilization was achieved at 175ºC, with a supplemental water addition of 30% (SWA30). Pretreatments combining two modalities; MW heating in presence or absence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was also investigated. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests were conducted on the whole OFMSW, as well as on the liquid fractions. The whole OFMSW pretreated at 115 and 145 ºC showed little improvement in biogas production over control. When pretreated at 175 ºC, biogas production decreased due to formation of refractory compounds, inhibiting digestion. For the liquid fraction of OFMSW, the effect of pretreatment on the cumulative biogas production (CBP) was more pronounced for supplemental water addition of 20% (SWA20) at 145 ºC. Combining MW and H2O2 modalities did not have a positive impact on OFMSW stabilization and enhanced biogas production. Based on the BMP assay results, the effects of MW pretreatment (145 ºC) on the AD of OFMSW (SWA20) were further evaluated in single and dual stage semi-continuous digesters at hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 20, 15, 12 and 9 days. Overall, MW pretreatment did not enhance the AD of the whole waste at the HRTs tested. However, the use of a dual stage reactor digesting non pretreated whole OFMSW had the best performance with the shortest HRT of 9 days. Conversely, for free liquid after pretreatment in two stage reactors at 20 day HRT methane production was tripled. In general, the performance of the dual stage digesters surpassed that of the single stage reactors. Cyclic BMP assays indicated that using an appropriate fraction of recycled effluent leachate can be implemented without negatively effecting methanogenic activity and biogas production. Based on the results obtained in this study, digestion of OFMSW by dual stage reactors without pretreatment appears to provide the best potential for waste stabilization in terms of biogas production and yield, process stability and volumetric loading rates.

Organic wastes like sewage sludge and dairy manure were subjected to microwave enhanced advanced oxidation process ( MW/H₂0₂-AOP). The MW/H₂O₂-AOP was developed to release nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen in the soluble form from the organic waste; these nutrients could be further recovered and reused. In the past, this process has been successfully applied to a series of organic waste for the purpose of solubilizing nutrients. The objectives of this research were to: (1) improve the MW/H₂0₂-AOP in terms of nutrient release by determining the different factors that influence the treatment, (2) define the factors affecting the process in their order of significance and (3) check the efficacy of the process on various waste. In the MW/H₂0₂-AOP, the role of mixing was verified, using municipal sewage sludge (aerobic and anaerobic). It was speculated that mixing the samples during the process would facilitate uniform heating and thus promote more nutrient release. At a microwave temperature of 80 °C, heating time of 5 minutes and hydrogen peroxide dosage of 1 mL per 1% of total solids, the results showed that mixed samples gave a higher nutrient solubilization compared to the unmixed. Subsequently, mixing and solids concentration were incorporated in a screening design with the other proven important factors viz., microwave temperature and hydrogen peroxide dosage. The results showed that microwave temperature and hydrogen peroxide dosage were the most significant factors for the release of orthophosphate, ammonia and soluble chemical oxygen demand. Preliminary experiments treating anaerobic sludge using MW/H₂O₂-AOP showed a decrease in orthophosphate concentration below the initial untreated value while for ammonia and volatile fatty acids the concentrations remained same as the initial. In this case, the set microwave temperature was 80 °C with 5 minutes heating and hydrogen peroxide dosage of 1 mL per 1% total solids at pH 7. To investigate this behavior, anaerobic sludge was treated at two pH conditions (7.8 and 4) at microwave temperatures ranging from 80 to 160 °C with hydrogen peroxide dosage of lmL per 1% total solids for 5 minutes. The results showed that acid addition helped in the destruction of sludge solids and release of nutrients. TheMW/H₂0₂-AOP was used to treat separated solid dairy manure. Solid dairy manure with total solids 1.6% was subjected to microwave temperature of 120 °C for 10 minutes with a hydrogen peroxide dosage of 2 mL per 1% total solids at three pH conditions (3.5, 7.3 and 12). Only at pH 3.5, substantial quantity of orthophosphate, ammonia, soluble chemical oxygen demands and volatile fatty acids could be released. Further, a screening experiment was designed including microwave temperature, hydrogen peroxide dosage and heating time, to determine the factors most affecting nutrient solubilization from solid dairy manure. Hydrogen peroxide dosage and temperature were important factors in orthophosphate release while microwave temperature and heating time were important in the release of ammonia and volatile fatty acids. The results clearly define the efficacy of the MW/H₂0₂-AOP on various organic waste as well as the conditions under which the treatment can be optimized.

The main objectives of this study were: to provide a review of key concepts and issues relevant to solid waste management in developing countries; to analyse and evaluate the hotel solid waste management (HSWM) program in Bali, Indonesia; and to suggest recommendations and areas for further research. The following data collection methods were used in this study: review of documents and literature, interviews, surveys and field observations. Tourism in host regions such as Bali can bring both positive and negative impacts. One aspect of tourism that can have an impact on local communities is solid waste management (SWM). Improper SWM can lead to pollution and deterioration of the aesthetic appeal of tourist destinations. Conversely, solid waste can be a resource to the local community, providing opportunities for business development and the achievement of social, political and environmental objectives. Planning for SWM is complex, involving the consideration of multiple and interconnected issues. Therefore, in addressing SWM issues, it is appropriate to use an integrated approach that recognises the various stakeholders, activities and perspectives involved. In addition, concepts such as appropriate technology, cleaner production, life cycle assessment and environmental management systems can be useful for improving how solid waste management is approached. A local environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO), waste hauler and hotels in Bali developed a program to improve the management of solid waste from hotels. The history, planning, management and stakeholders involved with the development of this program are described in this study. Various issues pertaining to the achievement of social, environmental and economic objectives are investigated to provide a view of program realities and the range of challenges faced by program participants. Conclusions and lessons learned from the case study are presented and links between concepts in the literature and findings from the case study are discussed. Recommendations concerning topics such as planning, management, stakeholder involvement, health and safety, data management and source separation are suggested and future research directions are outlined.

Information technology (IT) is one of the fastest growing product groups on the market today (Babu et al., 2006). This technology has become inexpensive to produce and continues to improve in the areas of memory, speed, operating systems, weight, and audio/visual capabilities (Envirosris, 2000). All of these factors have led to a decrease in product lifespan and an increase in the amount of IT-waste produced. IT-waste contains a number of hazardous materials. If this waste is not managed appropriately it can create serious environmental and human health problems. In Canada, there are no federal policies in place to manage IT-waste. Management of IT-waste has largely been the responsibility of local governments. Consequently, there is no uniformity. A wide spectrum of management approaches ranges from ‘do nothing’ to enacting bans to prohibit this waste from entering landfills. Recently (April 1, 2009), a program (Ontario Electronic Stewardship Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment- OES WEEE) has been created at the provincial level to help with IT management. Residential participation in this program remains voluntary. This research is exploratory and aims at examining the potential for a sustainable integrated waste management (IWM) plan for residential IT-waste, using the Regional Municipality of Waterloo (RMoW) as a case study. A multiple methods approach was employed to gain an understanding of IT-waste issues and to develop a set of sustainable IWM criteria for evaluation of the OES program and RMoW. Methods used to collect data included: a literature review, surveys, plan analysis, direct observation, key informant interviews, and archival research. A number of recommendations apply specifically to Waterloo Region. Others more broadly address local governments across Ontario for better management of residential IT-waste and other e-waste products.

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) --- the crown corporation responsible for the long-term storage of nuclear fuel waste in Canada --- seeks to bury our nuclear fuel waste deep in the Canadian Shield, with the provisions that the waste is monitored and remains retrievable for possible future use. To ensure that its solution is ethically acceptable, the NWMO established a set of requirements which, if satisfied, would successfully discharge its ethical obligations to both present and future generations. Those requirements include the obligation to justify its practice, minimize risk, clearly identify all of the relevant costs and risks of harm, abide by the precautionary principle, obtain fully informed consent from potentially affected individuals, and distribute the risk fairly across multiple generations. In this document I show that the ethical principles, as formulated by the NWMO, are either (a) seriously vague and unhelpful; or (b), where substantial and helpful, the nature of the practice show that many of the principles cannot be satisfied. As a final result, it is deeply questionable whether nuclear power in general, and especially the current solution to nuclear waste in particular, can ever be deemed ethical in Canada.

Background: The Georgia Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (GSFMNP) is intended to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables among Georgia’s low-income, older adults. The program provides $20 in vouchers with which participants may purchase Georgia-grown fruits and vegetables at approved farmers’ markets. Similar programs operate in other states, and studies suggest that these programs are successful in increasing fruit and vegetable intake among participants. However, because Georgia’s program operates somewhat differently, offering only a single market event at most locations, it may have different results. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not produce purchased at GSFMNP events in 2008 contributed to an increase in the fruit and vegetable intakes of the participants and to identify factors that may have influenced those intakes. The study focused on purchase, consumption, preservation, waste, and sharing of fresh fruits and vegetables. Methods: For this qualitative study, a sample of 198 GSFMNP participants was surveyed from ten metro Atlanta senior centers where markets were held in August and September of 2008. Descriptive statistics were produced to summarize purchase behaviors, food utilization behaviors, and attitudes. Analyses of relationships between variables were performed using Pearson chi-square tests. Results: Twenty-seven percent of subjects reported consuming more fruits and vegetables than usual in the week following the farmers’ market event. There was a significant association between a larger than usual purchase amount and increased intake. There was also a significant association between increased intake and sharing purchased items. No significant associations with increased intake were found for variety of items purchased, preserving food, or discarding food. Those who purchased more fresh produce than usual appeared to be more likely to share their food with others but were not more likely to discard food. Ninety-seven percent of subjects said they would participate in the program again. Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that the majority of GSFMNP participants did not increase their intakes of fruits and vegetables. Sharing, preserving, and discarding food did not appear to be responsible for this outcome. More research is needed to discover what strategies could increase fruit and vegetable intakes among participants of the GSFMNP.

The main objectives of this study were: to provide a review of key concepts and issues relevant to solid waste management in developing countries; to analyse and evaluate the hotel solid waste management (HSWM) program in Bali, Indonesia; and to suggest recommendations and areas for further research. The following data collection methods were used in this study: review of documents and literature, interviews, surveys and field observations. Tourism in host regions such as Bali can bring both positive and negative impacts. One aspect of tourism that can have an impact on local communities is solid waste management (SWM). Improper SWM can lead to pollution and deterioration of the aesthetic appeal of tourist destinations. Conversely, solid waste can be a resource to the local community, providing opportunities for business development and the achievement of social, political and environmental objectives. Planning for SWM is complex, involving the consideration of multiple and interconnected issues. Therefore, in addressing SWM issues, it is appropriate to use an integrated approach that recognises the various stakeholders, activities and perspectives involved. In addition, concepts such as appropriate technology, cleaner production, life cycle assessment and environmental management systems can be useful for improving how solid waste management is approached. A local environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO), waste hauler and hotels in Bali developed a program to improve the management of solid waste from hotels. The history, planning, management and stakeholders involved with the development of this program are described in this study. Various issues pertaining to the achievement of social, environmental and economic objectives are investigated to provide a view of program realities and the range of challenges faced by program participants. Conclusions and lessons learned from the case study are presented and links between concepts in the literature and findings from the case study are discussed. Recommendations concerning topics such as planning, management, stakeholder involvement, health and safety, data management and source separation are suggested and future research directions are outlined.

Information technology (IT) is one of the fastest growing product groups on the market today (Babu et al., 2006). This technology has become inexpensive to produce and continues to improve in the areas of memory, speed, operating systems, weight, and audio/visual capabilities (Envirosris, 2000). All of these factors have led to a decrease in product lifespan and an increase in the amount of IT-waste produced. IT-waste contains a number of hazardous materials. If this waste is not managed appropriately it can create serious environmental and human health problems. In Canada, there are no federal policies in place to manage IT-waste. Management of IT-waste has largely been the responsibility of local governments. Consequently, there is no uniformity. A wide spectrum of management approaches ranges from ‘do nothing’ to enacting bans to prohibit this waste from entering landfills. Recently (April 1, 2009), a program (Ontario Electronic Stewardship Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment- OES WEEE) has been created at the provincial level to help with IT management. Residential participation in this program remains voluntary. This research is exploratory and aims at examining the potential for a sustainable integrated waste management (IWM) plan for residential IT-waste, using the Regional Municipality of Waterloo (RMoW) as a case study. A multiple methods approach was employed to gain an understanding of IT-waste issues and to develop a set of sustainable IWM criteria for evaluation of the OES program and RMoW. Methods used to collect data included: a literature review, surveys, plan analysis, direct observation, key informant interviews, and archival research. A number of recommendations apply specifically to Waterloo Region. Others more broadly address local governments across Ontario for better management of residential IT-waste and other e-waste products.

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) --- the crown corporation responsible for the long-term storage of nuclear fuel waste in Canada --- seeks to bury our nuclear fuel waste deep in the Canadian Shield, with the provisions that the waste is monitored and remains retrievable for possible future use. To ensure that its solution is ethically acceptable, the NWMO established a set of requirements which, if satisfied, would successfully discharge its ethical obligations to both present and future generations. Those requirements include the obligation to justify its practice, minimize risk, clearly identify all of the relevant costs and risks of harm, abide by the precautionary principle, obtain fully informed consent from potentially affected individuals, and distribute the risk fairly across multiple generations. In this document I show that the ethical principles, as formulated by the NWMO, are either (a) seriously vague and unhelpful; or (b), where substantial and helpful, the nature of the practice show that many of the principles cannot be satisfied. As a final result, it is deeply questionable whether nuclear power in general, and especially the current solution to nuclear waste in particular, can ever be deemed ethical in Canada.