Abstract
Waste is a valuable commodity and remains a livelihood source for waste pickers in the global South. Waste to Energy (WtoE) is often described as alternative to landfilling, as it provides cheap fuel while making waste disappear. In some European cities, this method has evolved into an impediment, slowing down the adoption of more sustainable technologies and waste prevention. These plants typically strain municipal budgets and provide fewer jobs than recycling and composting, thereby inhibiting the development of small-scale local recycling businesses. We applied the idea of ‘waste regime’ with an interdisciplinary and situated lens to provide insights to the following questions: How do different political developments in Brazil and Sweden, frame and reframe waste incineration and energy recovery, in the context of sustainability and waste management on local, regional and national levels? What forms of resistance against WtoE exist and what are the arguments of these protagonists? We evaluated the impact of WtoE and compare it with other waste management options with regard to CO2 balances and general environmental and social impacts. We conclude by suggesting more socially and environmentally appropriate ways of waste management, particularly for the context of global South cities.
Highlights
Municipal solid waste (MSW) has evolved into a critical challenge for cities and their inhabitants
‘Waste regime’, a concept adapted by Gille Zsuzsa [1], describes the multifaceted aspects of governance and waste management which helps understand the waste—society relationship and addresses questions such as: What technologies are being used in waste management? Why are these technologies prioritized? Who is involved in the production, circulation and transformation of waste? The concept helps understand why projecting waste out of sight is not enough
This article describes the waste management strategies adopted for household waste in Sweden and Brazil and discusses some of the implications of the current waste regime
Summary
Municipal solid waste (MSW) has evolved into a critical challenge for cities and their inhabitants. Waste regimes have particular economic, political, material and macro level facets, that shape production and transformation of waste. This allows us to identify winners and losers within the waste business. This article describes the waste management strategies adopted for household waste in Sweden and Brazil and discusses some of the implications of the current waste regime. We chose these two countries, based on the particular stage of the waste regime that characterizes their waste management system, despite the large differences in economic, social, political and cultural terms between these two countries. We explore grassroots social technologies from the global South, as alternative to WtoE, and will point towards more appropriate and better technical solutions
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