The success of a food waste collection programme depends on the participation of citizens in the correct separation and collection of food waste. Municipalities have an important role in increasing the management of resources in the food chain and from the 1st of January 2021 it is mandatory for the municipalities in Sweden to provide a system for collecting food waste from households. In Kiruna, Sweden’s most northern municipality, the expansion of food waste collection is underway. To find out what attitude and behaviour citizens have around food waste collection; a survey was sent out to 300 households in the central part of Kiruna. This report investigates the role of information, attitudes, and incentives, on household’s participation in the food waste collection programme. A statistical analysis was made to find out if there was any difference in how well the food waste is sorted depending on whether the households have their own container or common container for food waste. The results show that the majority always sorts their food waste and that the respondents generally have a positive attitude. The respondents feel that the information has been enough for them to have the knowledge to sort properly. Environmental reasons, knowledge, storage space,” because you should” and information were the most important incentives for respondents to sort their food waste. Several comments revealed an uncertainty about the environmental benefits of the collected food waste. There is potential to improve information and increase knowledge to reduce uncertainty and increase motivations and positive attitudes.

Memoria para optar al título de Geógrafa / El incremento y concentración de la población en determinados espacios, las actividades humanas y el consumismo inserto en la cultura de las personas han acrecentado en grandes cifras la cantidad de residuos que se generan día a día. Lo anterior, junto con un ineficiente manejo de estos, constituye una preocupación prioritaria tanto en ámbito social como político del país. Es por esto, que los residuos que son considerados propiamente tal como “basura” o desechos no aprovechables, constituyen un problema creciente para la salud y la calidad de vida de la población, además la contaminación provocada a los ecosistemas. El propósito de esta investigación es realizar un estudio sobre una de las consecuencias principales de la gestión de los residuos deficiente, en este sentido se hace referencia a los microbasurales, los cuales son considerados como una forma de disposición ilegal de residuos. El área de estudio corresponde a la extensión urbana de la comuna de Colina, ya que en las últimas décadas ha manifestado diversas transformaciones demográficas, económicas y espaciales; debido a que es un área de estudio acotada y sin información previa en esta temática, es que se utilizaron como mecanismos de estudio visitas a terreno, encuestas a la población y revisión bibliográfica pertinente. Entre los principales resultados se identificó los microbasurales presentes en el área de estudio, se caracterizaron y se llevó a cabo la elaboración de tipologías de estos. Adicionalmente se evidenció la presencia de impactos socioambientales y los mecanismos de gestión municipal que buscan evitar la permanencia y formación de microbasurales. Asimismo, se destaca la importancia de contar con una institucionalidad a nivel local capaz de coordinar procesos de aprendizaje, vinculando a los múltiples actores involucrados en la temática de los microbasurales, con el objetivo de fortalecer la construcción de comunidades más sustentables con el medio ambiente. / The increase and concentration of the population in certain spaces, human activities and consumerism embedded in the culture of people have increased in large numbers the amount of waste that is generated every day. The foregoing, together with an inefficient management of these, is a priority concern in both the social and political spheres of the country. For this reason the waste considered as "garbage" or unusable waste, is a growing problem for the health and quality of life of the population, in addition to the pollution caused to the ecosystems. The purpose of this research is to conduct a study on one of the main consequences of poor waste management, in this sense reference is made to microbasural, which are considered as a form of illegal disposal of waste. The study area corresponds to the urban extension of the Colina commune, since in the last decades it has manifested diverse demographic, economic and spatial transformations. Because it is a limited area of study and without prior information on this subject, it is that field visits, surveys of the population and pertinent bibliographic review were used as study mechanisms. Among the main results, the microbasurales present in the study area were identified, the typologies of these were characterized and carried out. Additionally, the presence of socio-environmental impacts and the municipal management mechanisms that seek to avoid the permanence and formation of microbasurales were evidenced. Likewise, the importance of having a local-level institutionality capable of coordinating learning processes is highlighted, linking the multiple actors involved in the theme of microbasurales, with the aim of strengthening the construction of more sustainable communities with the environment.

Magister Artium - MA / Solid waste management in South Africa is in a phase of transitioning. This transition entails the valorisation and diversion of recyclable waste away from landfills for the creation of a new secondary recycling economy. However, reclaimers within the Global South have been engaged in valorising waste through market-driven pricing. Localised and ‘informal’ as they are, they remain a significant source of labour for global capital. Their presence runs parallel to the emergence of green models such as the circular economy, coupled with contentious initiatives that aim at formalising and integrating reclaimers. Given the revitalised emphasis on the urban waste economy, inadequate attention has been given to understanding the linkages between the formal processing companies and informal waste reclaimers operating at the level of the street and landfill.

Phosphorus is an essential source with significance use in agriculture. Phosphorus is lost in the human intensified global cycle and it is important to remove phosphorus from water body. However, important and potential sources for phosphorus product which is suitable and effective for fertilizer use may be ignored due to over emphasize on the pollution prevention. This work aims to identify the potential of phosphorus recovery from solid organic waste in Sweden. Based on the result of Material Flow Analysis of phosphorus, solid food waste is identified the main solid waste fractions containing phosphorus substances of phosphorus in Sweden. From the case study and comparison of three alternatives, the possibility of recovery of phosphorus from household solid food waste is analyzed. A SWOT analyst is applied to provide a best solution for phosphorus recovery from food waste. The key drivers, the system boundaries for the phosphorus recovery and collection, storage, transport and use of the phosphorus are also discussed.

Magister Artium - MA / Illegal dumping is a global environmental problem that receives significant management and research attention from various fields of study. Illegally disposed waste (in all of its formats) can cause negative impacts on natural and human environments, and often requires multilevel interventions to abate, or to solve the resultant problems. The impacts of illegal or unsustainable disposal of waste on land, water bodies and the atmosphere contribute to various environmental problems and their levels of intensity at global, regional, national and local scales. Illegal waste disposal also infringes on fundamental human rights that are associated with clean and safe living environments.

This dissertation aimed to assess the potential for community participation in solid waste management. The study took place in Highfields, which is a suburb in Harare the capital city of Zimbabwe. Two approaches were used to collect the data: qualitative and quantitative approach. Qualitative methods included focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with residents, resident representative and members of some prominent environmental groups. Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires designed in such a way as to capture knowledge attitudes and perceptions. In the course of the study it emerged that people were more concerned with the visual and sanitary impacts of poorly managed or uncollected waste as opposed to the environmental impact. Moreover very few residents were aware of the environmental impacts of inappropriately managed waste. The study revealed that there was a prevailing culture of dependence on municipal management of solid waste. The mentality that waste management is the sole responsibility of municipal authorities is one of the greatest challenges that is proving to be an obstacle in integrating the community in waste management. It is concluded that though there is a definite need for improvement in the current solid waste management system the concept of the community playing a role is hindered by the prevailing attitude that the responsibility of waste management reset in the hands of municipal authorities. Copyright 2008, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Mlanda-Zvikaramba, JC 2008, Exploring the potential for community participation in solid waste management in Highfields Harare, MA dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03302012-113635 / > C12/4/4/gm / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / Unrestricted

Urbanization alters the natural soil structure of landscapes. This has a negative impact on the environment. This degradation of the soil in the urban environment needs management practices that protect and restore the nutrient value in the soil. Soil is one of the most essential elements of landscapes. High quality soils make a major contribution to cleaning water, acting as a filtration system that purifies the water it absorbs. Soil also sustains microorganisms that promote vegetation growth and consequently food production, one of the most important human activities that allows us to thrive as a society. The poor soil conditions in the urban environment make it very difficult to sustain healthy trees and vegetation. Urban soil is "modified through the regrading, compaction, cutting and filling, and, sometimes, contamination that comes with creating buildings, roads and associated land uses", changing the physical, chemical and biological structure of soil. (Trowbridge and Bassuk 3) In general, urban areas require better waste management methods that could use an abundant resource of food and yard waste to make compost. This thesis focuses on composting organic waste in the McNair neighborhood of Fairfax County in order to produce a resource to improve the soil conditions. This improvement would support the vegetation in this urban environment, and, in addition, sequester carbon and divert materials that otherwise would go to landfills. This thesis demonstrates a sustainable method for composting food and yard waste in a mixed-use community in northern Virginia turning waste material into a resource. / Master of Landscape Architecture / The growth of cities has a negative impact on the native soil and vegetation. The expansion of urban areas weakens the microorganisms that live in the soils through soil compaction for the construction of roads and buildings, runoff pollution and the use of chemicals in lawns and gardens. These urban conditions challenge the growth of trees and vegetation in general. Using sustainable waste management practices in cities we can turn organic waste material and turn it into an organic fertilizer to sustain the microorganisms in the soil and promote the growth of vegetation in urban areas. This thesis focuses in composting food waste and yard waste in the McNair neighborhood in Fairfax in order to turn a waste material into a local resource that benefits the community by sustaining green areas and diverting organic waste from going to landfills.

The goal of this project was to analyze Cache County for potential sanitary landfill sites covering the period 2020 to 2120. The county population and per capita solid waste were estimated. The minimum landfill size was then calculated. A geographic information system (GIS) was used for data storage and vii analysis. Relevant data were gathered. Areas which would not support a landfill were eliminated. Remaining sites were rated as having slight, moderate, or severe restrictions for use as an area method sanitary landfill based on the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Sanitary Facility Report, and the NRCS Soil Interpretations Rating Guide. Seventeen sites were designated as sites for further evaluation. A landfill ranking system giving a primary and/or secondary rating to data items was developed. Nine prime sites had one secondary (.,a ting. These sites should be more closely investigated to determine which are the best potential sites. (136 pages)

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This document is submitted in partial fulfillment for the degree: Master of Architecture [Professional] at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, in the year 2014. Supervised by Professor Diaan van der Westhuizen / High levels of unemployment are a reality in many of the urban areas of South Africa. Poverty and hardship compel many of the unemployed to venture into the urban informal economy in order to survive. The South African government have found new ways of creating employment opportunities, one of which is within the recycling industry. There is an increased demand for minimizing mankind’s environmental footprint. Glass is a material that has been used for centuries and has the ability to be recycled infinitely without losing its quality (Marson, n.d). This together with the need for glass amongst consumers and the endlessly recycling nature of glass makes glass recycling a significant sustainable measure in considering environmental impacts (2011, 2012 Annual Review: Glass Recycling Company). Despite these properties, glass continues to be an undervalued material that can utilize low technology in its recycling process. This study aimed at investigating the formal and informal recycling economy within the city of Johannesburg by providing the opportunity for the Waste Reclaimers (Trolley Pushers) to be an integral part of the recycling process, specifically with glass. A further aim was to explore the tectonics of a factory to create a space where the Waste Reclaimers could gather, connect and engage with the product of glass. Lastly it aimed to provide a space where the general public could also engage in the product of glass recycling thereby creating awareness and promotion of recycling. The project proposed a glass recycling factory where the process of glass recycling culminates with the production of glass. The site selected for this research is located within the industrial part of the Newtown precinct. This has become a central recycling hub for the Waste Reclaimers of Johannesburg as it links private recycling centres within the city. Newtown is an area of flux, marked by a history of industrial and political disruption. This area represents change and opportunity for growth and life. A space recycled and regenerated throughout the history of Johannesburg. The reason for the choice of topic is that the evolution of recycling in Johannesburg has reached a point where municipalities need to acknowledge the informal sector as a valuable part of the recycling economy. The majority of the literature on recycling and the organization of the recycling process predominantly focuses on the collection of waste as means of job creation. An opportunity therefore presented itself to highlight the production, and craftsmanship of recyclable material. To clarify and further place the Waste Reclaimers within the existing waste management system, the theory of Phenomenology has been explored. It will focus on the phenomenological term of “Lifeworld” which describes a way of life where the individual’s aspiration, perceptions, experiences, beliefs and behaviour forms a holistic unity towards a fulfilling, meaningful, existence (Seamon, 2012). This exploration will give insight to how this building will provide the Waste Reclaimer a sense of identification and orientation within this system of the recycling industry. In order to better understand the complexity of the existing waste management system, the theory of Systems has been explored focusing on the principal of an open system as a way of broadening the lifeworld of the Waste Reclaimers Precedent studies of PFG Building Glass windscreen recovery facility; Zama City Waste; the comparison of factory tectonics between the Crystal Palace, Toledo Museum of Art Glass and the Crucible Glassblowing studio; the Glass Chapel and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art were used to inform the design. The network of the Waste Reclaimers was also documented in order to understand their routes and network across the city and the surrounding suburbs. The impact of the design found that the proposed space created opportunities for pause and transformation using light, space and process. The idea of transformation is process. Process is represented by a linear path with adjacent spaces of function and support. These spaces will transform according to their activities and associated light qualities. These spaces will thus become the medium through which people and activities change.