Sustainability Assessment of the Municipal Solid Waste Management in Russia Using the Decoupling Index

Abstract

The annual growth of the municipal solid waste (MSW) generated and the exhaustion of existing landfills capacity have led to the processes of reforming the waste sector in Russia. But the question remains open: what is the optimal ratio between waste management practices for building a sustainable MSW management system? The purpose of this article is to evaluate the sustainability of the MSW management system in Russia according to various scenarios of its development using the decoupling index. Based on the strategic documents, authors constructed three scenarios for the MSW industry development in Russia until 2024: scenario 1 (basic), scenario 2 (MSW utilization via recycling), scenario 3 (MSW utilization via recycling and MSW incineration at WTE plants). After that, the decoupling index for all scenarios was calculated. In general, calculations of the decoupling index for 2022-2024 showed that for all scenarios (except for scenario 3 in 2022), the industry is moving into the zone of absolute sustainability. The greatest sustainability is achieved in scenario 2 – for this scenario the absolute value of the decoupling index is maximum in 2023 and 2024, thereby confirming the role of recycling in increasing the sustainability of the MSW management system. The results can be used by decision makers when reforming the MSW management system to choose the optimal ratio between the MSW management practices and the appropriate regulatory tools.