Editorial: How can the waste and resource management sector help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve Net Zero?

The Government of Canada has ratified the Kyoto Protocol, committing to a 6% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 1990 levels during the commitment period of 2008–2012. To attain this target, emission reductions throughout many sectors must be achieved. The waste sector can assist Canada in reducing GHG emissions to meet its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. In 2001, the waste sector generated 24.8 megatonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) from landfill gas (LFG) generation, wastewater treatment, and incineration. Emissions from the transportation of solid waste were not considered, and are seen to be small. Several strategies for reducing GHG emissions from solid waste are analyzed. Source reduction decreases the amount of material being generated, thus reducing from the source any emissions that might be related to the life cycle of the material. Recycling can reduce GHG emissions by reducing the amount of virgin material being processed, avoiding life cycle emissions. Landfill gas collection for energy recovery can reduce methane (CH4) emissions from organic wastes in landfills, and the Government of Canada's Climate Change Plan has considered this strategy. Anaerobic digestion converts some of the organic matter in the municipal solid waste (MSW) to both CH4 and carbon dioxide (CO2), where the CH4 can be used to generate power, while composting converts some of the organic fraction to CO2. Both of these processes produce a soil conditioner as their residue. Waste incineration reduces MSW volume and can generate power, displacing generation from fossil fuels. An integrated approach, considering these techniques where appropriate, can succeed in reducing emissions from the solid waste sector. Policy choices such as extended producer responsibility, minimum recycled content laws, and LFG capture criteria would increase the impact of solid waste management on GHG emissions. Key words: climate change, Kyoto Protocol, municipal solid waste, source reduction, recycling, landfill gas capture, anaerobic digestion.

Waste Management Sector Value Changes in Lithuania Along the Last Decade

The first draft scenario toward net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 for the material cycles and waste management sector was presented by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan in August 2021. The details of the future GHG emission estimation used to create the draft scenario are described in this document. For multiple scenarios where more aggressive measures, such as carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), were included in addition to business-as-usual and the current policy continuity scenario, future GHG emissions were estimated as the sum of the products of activities and emission factors indicating changes in measures between scenarios. The estimation outcomes demonstrated that future GHG emissions from the solid waste management sector could be anticipated to be zero or even negative when material conversion to biomass, primarily for plastics, recycling to raw materials, and installation of CCUS at incineration facilities are assumed. Extensions of prior plans are not enough to reach the goal of net zero emissions, according to the measures necessary and the volume and pace of their implementation suggested in this study. Stakeholders should collaborate with great ambition.

Aim: This study aims to explore the economic theories and current situation regarding vocational education for women in low-skilled jobs in waste management, focusing on the challenges women face in this male-dominated sector. It seeks to address the gender inequalities and barriers that prevent women from advancing in their careers, particularly the impact of stereotypes, biases, and immaturity of qualification standards. Methods: The primary research method employed was a literature review, conducted through an analysis of the content of six academic databases, which were searched using relevant keywords. This process resulted in the identification of 48 articles, 30 of which were available in full. These articles were then thoroughly analyzed and categorized into three main themes: 1) applied theories and concepts, 2) stereotypes, career paths, and vocational education, and 3) literature relating to the selected region (Uzbekistan and Tajikistan). Results: The findings highlight significant challenges and gender inequalities faced by women in waste management and adjacent sectors. It was found that the lack of gender-inclusive qualification standards and systemic biases lock women under a “glass ceiling,” limiting their career advancement. The review also revealed a gap in research on the specific skills and knowledge women need to succeed in these fields, especially in regions like Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, where waste management systems are still developing. Conclusions: The results highlight the importance of developing training programs that address gender-specific needs and tackle the gender gaps in qualification standards. They also emphasize the necessity of implementing systemic changes to improve working conditions and expand leadership opportunities for women in the waste management sector. The study concludes that further research is required to gain a deeper understanding of the gender inclusivity of national qualification standards, particularly in industries such as waste management.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the effects of three strategic environmental options on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Namely, we examine the effects of pollution prevention and waste management (PPWM) practices, green supply chain (GSC) practices, and outsourcing on reducing local and supply chain GHG emissions.Design/methodology/approachUsing ASSET4 and deploying first-differencing fixed-effects panel data models, the study conducts a large-scale empirical examination on the effects of these focal strategic environmental options on GHG emissions.FindingsThis study finds that PPWM practices reduce local GHG emissions and that GSC practices reduce supply chain GHG emissions. The results also show that outsourcing does not reduce local GHG emissions and has an adverse effect on supply chain GHG emissions.Practical implicationsThe study findings indicate that environmental practices are effective in reducing GHG emissions. However, they are effective only in their corresponding domain. Further, outsourcing is not a viable strategic option, and managers should be mindful of its undesired environmental consequences.Originality/valueFirms undertake strategic environmental options, such as implementing environmental practices and reallocating production activities, to improve their environmental performance. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of these options on reducing GHG emissions has not been thoroughly examined.

One strategy to deal with climate change is accelerating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction through a community-based approach. In Indonesia, the government pursues community engagement to reduce GHG emissions through the Program Kampung Iklim (ProKlim). We collected data from 2015-2018, then measured emission reductions (ER) in the waste, livestock, agriculture, energy, and forestry sectors by subtracting baseline and mitigation emissions. The analysis compares the emission reductions achieved through Community-based Action (CBA) to the national emission reduction achievement. The results show that the sector with the most participation rates and the most significant contributor to emission reductions in ProKlim is the energy and waste sector. On the other hand, the sectors that attract the least public attention and emission reduction are the livestock and agriculture sectors. Through 61 community groups and 138 actions, from 2015 to 2018, CBA contributed 133,312.38 tons of CO2e emission reductions, 0.012% to national emission reductions, with the participation value equivalent to USD$266.080. Based on this number, CBA can be the answer to Indonesia's low position in international carbon trading. A strategy that focuses on increasing community participation is needed to optimize the contribution of the CBA to large-scale national emission reductions.

Importance of reducing GHG emissions in power transmission and distribution systems

Achieving the Paris Agreement 1.5 C target requires a reversal of the growing atmospheric concentrations of methane, which is about 80 times more potent than CO 2 on a 20-year timescale. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report stated that methane is underregulated, but little is known about the effectiveness of existing methane policies. In this review, we systematically examine existing methane policies across the energy, waste, and agriculture sectors. We find that currently only about 13% of methane emissions are covered by methane mitigation policies. Moreover, the effectiveness of these policies is far from clear, mainly because methane emissions are largely calculated using potentially unrepresentative estimates instead of direct measurements. Coverage and stringency are two major blind spots in global methane policies. These findings suggest that significant and underexplored mitigation opportunities exist, but unlocking them requires policymakers to identify a consistent approach for accurate quantification of methane emission sources alongside greater policy stringency. ll

Agriculture could play a prominent role in U.S. efforts to address climate change if farms and ranches undertake activities that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or take greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere. These activities may include shifting to conservation tillage, reducing the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied to crops, changing livestock and manure management practices, and planting trees or grass. The Federal Government is considering offering carbon offsets and incentive payments to encourage rural landowners to pursue these climate-friendly activities as part of a broader effort to combat climate change. The extent to which farmers adopt such activities would depend on their costs, potential revenues, and other economic incentives created by climate policy. Existing Federal conservation programs provide preliminary estimates of the costs of agricultural carbon sequestration.

The increase in human-induced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions released into the atmosphere is one of the biggest concerns around the globe. The waste sector contributes significantly to this verified increase in emissions, not only because of the quantity of waste generated, but also because of waste treatment, a highly polluting process. To deal with these issues, several directives are being implemented at a European level. In order to confirm if these policies to reduce GHG emissions associated with waste disposal are efficient, this paper aims to assess the environmental efficiencies that result from waste generation. The data used in this study encompass a set of 15 European countries for the period between 2001 and 2015. Eco-efficiency is measured by using the ratio of GDP per capita and GHG emissions per capita derived from the waste sector, and is assessed by the application of the data envelopment analysis approach. Additionally, we also evaluate the state of decoupling between the waste sector emissions (GHG emissions) and economic growth. This analysis intends to understand which economic drivers produce decoupling effects, and to assess to what extent additional factors are influencing this core relationship. Globally, the results show that Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden present better economic and environmental performance when compared to the other countries. Luxembourg is beyond doubt the most efficient country, presenting the highest scores in most of the years between 2001 and 2015. On the other hand, countries like France, Portugal and Austria report the worst performance, presenting eco-efficiency scores below 20%, for the whole period under analysis. In addition, the results of the decoupling elasticity analysis suggest that the optimal decoupling state occurs when there is a drastic and significant reduction in the mean variations of the GHG emissions in the waste sector and a low variation in the average economic growth rate. Our results reinforce the existence of a discrepancy in waste management within the different member states. The countries, which include in their waste management a wider variety of waste treatments, are more efficient than the ones that are still using landfilling as the principal form of waste disposal. Recycling rates play a crucial role for the countries to move up in the “Waste hierarchy”, as well as the implementation of the EU directives relating to waste management. Taking all this in consideration, policy makers must reinforce these directives not only at a national, but also at regional level.

Life-cycle thinking and life-cycle approaches are concepts that are getting increased attention worldwide and in particular in EU Policies related to sustainability. The European Commission is launching a number of activities to strengthen life-cycle thinking in policy and business. EU policies aim to decrease waste generation through new waste prevention initiatives, better use of resources and shift to more sustainable consumption patterns. The approach to waste management is based on three principles: waste prevention, recycling and reuse and improving the final disposal and monitoring. In particular, concerning the prevention and recycling of waste, the definition of a waste hierarchy should be the basis for the prioritisation of waste management options. The benefit of using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in analysing waste management systems is the provision of a comprehensive view of the processes and impacts involved. However, it is also clear that the studies will always be open for criticism as they are simplifications of reality. Moreover, in order to become the LCA, a leading tool within businesses and government to understand and manage risks or opportunities related to waste management and treatment technologies, there are methodological choices required and a number of aspects that still need to be worked out. It is therefore important to review open and grey literatures, EU guidelines, relevant environmental indicators and databases for the waste sector and data easily usable in waste policy decision-making, with an agreed approach and methodology based on life-cycle thinking. The following survey gathers and describes the existing guidelines and methodologies based on life-cycle thinking and applicable in waste policy decision-making. This survey is focused on three main issues: definition and categorisation of waste streams and technologies; review and interpretation of existing waste-specific guidelines and tools; identification of specific key environmental performance indicators for the waste sector. Considering that a wide part of municipal solid waste is biodegradable and that their degradation is the main cause of greenhouse gas emissions in the waste management sector, considerable attention has been paid to biodegradable municipal waste. The survey shows that general technical guidance documents should take into account the following key issues: how to categorise waste streams, how to develop a waste hierarchy from a life-cycle point of view, how to include any possible new waste treatment technologies and to take into account local and waste-related factors. Moreover, the survey summarises the generic/default values that could be used for waste-related key parameters when insufficient information/data are available. The survey identifies some key environmental performance indicators in the waste sector. The analysis of existing waste-specific guidelines and tools leads to a list of available methodologies and foreground/background environmental data sources that satisfy specific data constraints (origin, time-related coverage, geographical coverage, technology coverage). The survey points out the need for strategic guidance documents for policy makers with quantitative examples to define the waste hierarchy. Depending on the characteristics of the specific cluster or area, such as climate, population density, etc., these documents should be integrated with quantitative considerations related to cost and social dimension, as complementary information to the environmental aspects of sustainability in waste management in order to address the preferable options to be considered for the definition of a local waste hierarchy. The survey shows that a considerable number of decision models and methodologies for the integration of life-cycle thinking into waste management have been developed for several waste streams and waste-management and treatment technologies. This leads to the need of a critical analysis of the existing guidelines and tools. A survey of life-cycle approaches in waste management has been presented in this paper. The analysis of specific waste streams and the integration of different environmental tools supporting the choice between different waste-treatment options could be taken into consideration for further work.

This paper deals with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions originating from changes in the waste sector in developing and transitional economies. Using a Serbian case study, the effects of different waste disposal techniques on GHG emissions were analyzed in three scenarios: the current one, the worst one, and the best one. According to the Serbian national‐waste management strategy, a large number of dumpsites and unsanitary landfills should be merged into several regional sanitary landfills. Results obtained from the SWM‐GHG Calculator have shown potentially higher emissions from modern regional landfills than from dumpsites. Related environmental policy should therefore be analyzed in detail and applied. Environmental policy options are analyzed using the SWOT technique. The policy option to be implemented depends on country‐specific circumstances, such as the adequate functioning of institutions, the effectiveness of the judicial system, the established legal framework, and the general level of competence in the waste management sector. If all of these conditions are in place, the ‘polluter pays’ option is the superior one. However, if the level of knowledge and capacity in waste sector is low, and if there are no adequate institutions, or if the judicial system is inefficient, the first option appears to be the right one. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

GHG Mitigation Potentials of Thailand’s Energy Policies to Achieve INDC Target

Municipal waste production in Indonesia is rapidly increasing due to population growth and economic development, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This research aims to develop effective waste management scenarios for Pekanbaru City, focusing on reducing GHG emissions through integrated treatment methods. Employing a comprehensive methodology, the study estimates GHG emissions from various waste management practices, including biological, thermal, and mixed methods. The research utilizes a basic model to calculate emissions based on activity data and emission factors, exploring current practices and innovative strategies like Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae for organic waste treatment. Findings reveal that the Mix scenario, which combines multiple waste management processes, results in the most significant reduction of GHG emissions, achieving a net emission of 112,985.89 tons of CO?-eq/year, compared to the existing scenario with 637,864.33 tons of CO?-eq/year. The study identifies key emission hotspots, emphasizing the need for improved management of organic waste through composting and recycling. The implications of this research highlight the importance of adopting integrated waste management strategies to mitigate GHG emissions effectively. The findings provide actionable insights for policymakers, promoting sustainable practices aligned with the 3R hierarchy (reduce, reuse, recycle) and supporting targeted interventions that can enhance environmental sustainability in urban settings.

After the collapse of the Soviet system, every new independent state selected its own way of development, own goals and speed of transformation. Dramatic changes were linked not only to the political and economic sphere, but also to environmental governance as a whole and waste management in particular. 25 years later the authors looked at 6 post-soviet countries and analysed the situation in the sector of municipal solid waste management by comparing this with EU member states (some of them have a socialistic past). We used BiPRO approach (BiPRO, 2012) and looked for answers related to the question: how far developed is the current state of waste management in post-soviet countries compared to EU members? Which factors define the potential efficiency of waste management system and its full conformity with the situation in “old” EU member states? The overall scores of 6 post-soviet countries range from 2 (Georgia) to 11 (Belarus). The common reasons for these low scores in all mentioned countries are weak waste management policies, and landfilling as a main way of waste disposal, the lack of economic instruments for stimulating reducing of waste generation and recycling, as well as underdeveloped infrastructure for waste treatment facilities. Specific problems for post-soviet countries are, for example, the high share of landfilled biodegradable waste, incomplete coverage of waste collection systems, the lack of forecasting of waste quantities and planning of waste management, preserved obsolete soviet approach to tariff policy, statistical accounting and administrative procedures in the sector of waste management. The improvement of waste management systems should aim at the legislative ban on the disposal of municipal solid waste at landfills, the re-establishment of a separate waste collection system (disestablished after USSR collapse), the establishment of economic and financial mechanisms supporting the waste processing sector and stimulating the population to reduce waste generation.