A Community-based Waste Management System for the Historic Centre of Naples

Abstract

The municipal area of Naples produces 1600 tons of garbage every day, only 9% of which is recycled. While many cities in Europe have made remarkable progress in managing urban waste meaningfully, it remains a major concern for Naples. As the centralized system appears incompetent, on-site waste management seems a solution. The Infra-Free (IF) system is the inspiration behind an alternative model. It reduces burden on the urban infrastructure for both; waste management and energy as the later is produced in the process of the first. Every house does not have adequate space and this leads to a solution based on the community. The proposed system will manage waste and generate energy not only for the community but also for the urban spaces around. It is economically beneficial and helps to accumulate social capital, which is a vital asset for any city. The authors worked on a block located in the historical center of Naples and found that the network of courtyards provided an ideal setup for a community based waste management system. Thus, urban waste no longer remains a problem but becomes an economically rewarding opportunity for generating social energy and revitalizing the community.