Illegal Waste Dumping Research Articles

Significant impact on the growth of Solanum lycopersicum in Microbially augmented organic waste

The objectives of this study were to convert organic and tea waste to organic soil cond conditioners and achieve a 68% reduction in landfilling and illegal dumping of organic waste. The tea was mixed at an incremental ratio of 10% with the organic waste, and the groups were designated as T0-T100 groups, indicating 0% of tea waste and 100% of organic waste in T0 group and 100% of tea waste, and 0% of organic waste in T100 group. The impact of this soil conditioner was later studied on the growth of the Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) plant for twenty-one weeks along with the augmentation of waste sludge from the yeast manufacturing unit. Microbial examination, and other physicochemical parameters like pH, temperature, organic carbon, C/N ratio, moisture, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and humidity of the compost were studied. A visual color change indicated the compost maturity for further application. The quality of the soil was analyzed in both pre-compost and post-compost applications. The electrical conductivity of the soil was 3.0 mho with 8.3 pH, 0.84 % organic matter, phosphorous 1.0 mg/kg, and potassium 225 mg/kg with a saturation level of 40%. There was an inverse relation between organic waste and organic matter with the highest percentage of organic matter in the T0 group. Maximum nitrogen content (9.07%), the highest levels of phosphorous (0.7%), and potassium (2.3%) were recorded in the aerobic T0 group. The highest amount of organic carbon (78.23%), maximum CEC (109.09 meq/100g) was found in the aerobic T100 group. The best vegetative post-application growth of tomato plants, flowering, and fruiting was observed in the T60 group. Taken together with our findings, it can be concluded that the organic compost boosted the soil fertility by up to 70% which positively affected the growth of tomato plants.

Consideration of hotspots in the selection of supervision schemes to reduce illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste.

Illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste continues to be a problem hindering circular economy efforts. Controlling illegal dumping necessitates establishing an effective surveillance scheme and investigating the proper penalty value. This problem has previously been described as a game theory problem, with the government and construction contractors as the players. Taking into account illegal dumping hotspots, which can often be identified through topographical and geographical characteristics, is also important when establishing supervision strategies. This study develops an evolutionary game-theoretic model that can assist in devising effective supervision strategies to control the spread of illegal dumping, while taking into consideration hotspots. In specific, this study investigates the suitability of two alternative strategies: police patrols and hybrid monitoring through both patrols and the installation of closed-circuit television cameras in hotspots. The model was applied to two case studies, using parameters informed by real-world contexts, to demonstrate its potential for selecting suitable strategies according to local situations. The results suggest that nine possible scenarios govern the stable evolutionary strategies of game players, with five scenarios in which contractors converge to adopt legal dumping. Accordingly, based on the parameters of the region (hotspot areas, cost of supervision, efficiency of patrols, penalties, etc.), governments would be able to assess which of the strategies would lead to long-term compliance of contractors while also increasing their payoffs. Further analysis allowed to determine the minimum efficiency required, and simulations were performed to demonstrate the influence of different supervision efficiencies and penalties on the evolutionary strategies.

Toxic Legacies and Health Inequalities of the Anthropocene: Perspectives from the Margins

Based on research in Matamoros (Mexico) and Naples (Italy), this article critically deconstructs embodiments and social histories of toxicity, addressing uneven power relations and health inequalities generated through late capitalism of the Anthropocene. By focusing on food and water consumption in regions at the margins of borders and defined as toxic wastelands, it sheds light on the multidimensional power structures of the global economy. Whether through reference to the illegal dumping of toxic waste by mafia-structured organised crime groups, or the contamination caused by foreign-owned assembly plants, the article illustrates how mechanisms taking place in the individual realm are ‘subsumed’ (Breihl 2019, 33) within more complex historical, economic, and environmental processes. These two case studies are the point of departure to reflect upon the undisclosed but powerful impact that commercial determinants of health have on individuals’ wellbeing, feeding profound north–south inequalities.

Assessment of road run-off and domestic wastewater contribution to microplastic pollution in a densely populated area (Flanders, Belgium)

Plastics are omnipresent in our daily life. Unfortunately, the produced plastics will partly end up in the environment including aquatic ecosystems. People often refer to littering or illegal waste dumping as sources of plastic emission to the environment. However, daily-life sources could also, unknowingly, contribute considerably to the total microplastic pollution in the ecosystem. Hence, there is an urgent need to study these potential sources. In this research, two common sources, i.e. domestic wastewater and road run-off from tire and road wear particles, were studied in detail to quantify the relative contribution of both domestic sources towards microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems in Flanders, Belgium.This assessment shows that every person (in studied area) emits on average 1145 microplastics (25–1000 μm) daily through domestic wastewater, resulting in a yearly discharge of 418,000 microplastic particles per person. The road run-off samples contained between 0.02 and 9.2 mg tire wear particles per litre per day, which corresponds to an emission of 10.8 mg tire wear particles per driven vehicle km.The gross and net emissions of both above mentioned microplastic sources were extrapolated to the whole Flanders region using an emission model. From the yearly gross microplastic pollution in the domestic wastewater, 623 kg (20%) will be discharged in the freshwater. The highest losses originated from the households that have a private drain or are not (yet) connected to an active wastewater treatment plant. In Flanders, the yearly net microplastic emission into the aquatic environment of tire wear particles is estimated to be 246 tonnes (38%), mainly from the direct run-off from the road surface. Based on the results, specific mitigation measures can be installed to reduce the emission of microplastics towards the freshwater ecosystem. Other sources should be quantified in a similar way for a more holistic strategy to counteract plastic pollution.

A smart framework for municipal solid waste collection management: A case study in Greater Cairo Region

Around 28 million tons of municipal solid wastes (MSW) are annually generated in Egypt, with 40% in Greater Cairo Region (GCR). Although, the government aims at improving the MSW service coverage and collection efficiency, formal collection service is still limited and operates with low transportation efficiency resulting in illegal waste collection and dumping. This research aims at providing optimized collection systems to accommodate various housing levels and considering the available resources. As a case study, the collection routes in Al-Mostakbal City, are optimized by selecting the appropriate location and containers order. Meanwhile, the pick-up time is optimized using the appropriate vehicle type, fleet size, and rounds. In addition, dynamic routing is applied using developed production models. A simulation model is developed to assess various improvement scenarios and recommend the effective one for various schemes. The outcome is a highly-efficient framework; with potential to be extended to cover other urban areas.

First record of plastiglomerate and pyroplastic pollution in the world's longest natural beach

The identification and description of novel plastic forms, such as pyroplastics and plastiglomerates, in coastal areas raised several concerns in the field of plastic pollution. Under the growing literature in the field, the present study preliminarily reports the occurrence of novel plastic forms on Cox's Bazar beach, Bangladesh. The description of the novel plastic forms agrees with the literature, mostly consisting of lithic and biogenic elements within a synthetic polymer matrix (HDPE, LDPE, PP, and PET identified). Several knowledge gaps regarding the interaction between the novel plastic forms and colonizing organisms, as well as the leaching rates of plastic additives, remain to be addressed as crucial points to understand their implications. Illegal waste dumping and burning were identified as the primary catalysts for the emergence of new plastic forms in Cox's Bazar. Overall, researchers must reach a baseline consensus regarding the methodologies and next steps in the field.

CHALLENGES CONFRONTING LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT: THE CASE OF DANGAMVURA RESIDENTIAL AREA, MUTARE, ZIMBABWE

Solid waste management has become one of the major challenges in both public circles and environmental health at the global level. The extent of the problems being faced as a result of improper solid waste management cannot be understated for example the illegal dumping and burning of municipal waste has become a common phenomenon in most Zimbabwean towns and cities. Studies regarding solid waste management have been widely researched by various scholars across the globe. In Zimbabwe, studies regarding solid waste management have been studied by scholars like Mlaudzi (2017) and Mutsvanga, et al. (2018) among others. Most of the studies focus on major urban centres and lack much information on residential areas. This study focuses on the challenges faced by local authorities in solid waste management in Dangamvura, Mutare. The main objectives of the study include: exploring the challenges being faced by the city of Mutare in solid waste management within the Dangamvura residential area, determining how these challenges are affecting the community and assessing the strategies and policies adopted by the city council to address these challenges. The researcher employed the mixed method of data collection and 60 participants took part in the research. The key informants were drawn from the city of Mutare. The main challenges which were being faced by the council in solid waste management in Dangamvura included poor community engagement, understaffing, urban sprawl, political interference, shortage of resources and natural hazards. These challenges affected the residents in a number of ways which included: disease outbreaks through water contamination, loss of natural beauty of the area and inconsistency in refuse collection. Various efforts were made to improve the state of service delivery in Dangamvura which included environmental education, law enforcement, motorizing cleansing, purchasing new refuse trucks and provisions of bins. The recommendations that have been provided include depoliticizing the issue among others that have been listed at the end of this study.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0009/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Occupational Road Safety Management: A Preliminary Insight for a Landfill Remediation Site

Road crashes have been internationally recognized as one of the main causes of death. On one hand, in Europe, many governments are struggling with the ambitious target of zero road deaths by 2050. On the other hand, they are facing remediation of illegal waste dumps, subject to European infringement procedures and involving a lot of workers and heavy materials transportation. With the aim to further explore occupational health and safety (OHS) issues related to the remediation of such contaminated sites close to urban areas, we decided to focus our attention on road crashes involving people while working in the transport of materials and goods (i.e., occupational road safety). In the scientific literature, it is considered an emerging matter of concern, but no significant contribution nor specific procedures have been provided in this research field for workers in charge of contaminated sites. With the aim to fill such a gap, we decided to, first, investigate the impacts of a landfill remediation site (Malagrotta landfill, near Rome—Italy) on road safety in the surrounding context. Then, road safety management measures for workers driving heavy vehicles from and toward the reference site were suggested through the means of cluster analysis. The main road accident determinants (road safety signs and traffic conditions) for heavy vehicles in the Rome municipality, derived from a sample of 166 events, occurred in the period 2017–2021 on target road infrastructures for the case study. The events were finally grouped with a k-means three-centroid solution. Overall, despite the intrinsic limits related to the data’s details, this paper provides a specific and data-driven methodology to address occupational road safety near a landfill remediation site and encourages further research in this field.

Impacts of illegal solid waste dumping on the water quality of the Mthatha River

Abstract The world faces problems such as improper waste disposal that have spread to include disposal near water bodies. It is getting difficult to find fresh water everywhere. Given that surface sources provide around one-third of the world's drinking water needs, their contamination exacerbates the issue. This paper aims at evaluating the impacts of solid waste on water quality along the Mthatha River. During the rainy and dry seasons of 2021, Hanna probe instruments were used to assess the physicochemical quality of water before and after identified illegal dump sites. To compare the measured mean values of water quality parameters data were analysed using ANOVA in SPSS version 22. In terms of temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrite, conductivity, and Escherichia coli, the water quality in the sampling points after the illegal dump sites revealed deterioration, which was more severe in the rainy season and moderate in the dry season. The study's findings suggest that illegal dump sites along water bodies negatively impact the water quality. Diverse research on water pollution shows that declining water quality endangers aquatic species and is unsafe for human consumption. This paper recommends strengthening of laws against improper waste handling, and frequent waste collection to prevent contamination of water bodies.

Critical factors to influence the illegal dumping behavior of construction and demolition waste: An ISM-DEMATEL analysis

Illegal dumping behavior widely exists in the construction industry and is difficult to manage. What factors and how they influence the illegal dumping behavior of construction and demolition waste remains to be clarified. Specifically, this study employs an ISM-DEMATEL approach to investigate the critical factors that influence the illegal dumping behavior. It is found that the factors, ‘capital investment of enterprises’ and “stakeholders' willingness and attitude”, are vital to tackle the illegal dumping behavior of construction and demolition waste. Yet, compared with business-level factors, the macro-level factors such as ‘social norms and culture’ and ‘government incentive policies’ tend to be less influential. Moreover, enhancing the industry-wise administration system and practitioners' dedication to the issue can be an option to avoid illegal construction waste dumping. The results of this study serve to elucidate the influential factors and offer practical implications for addressing the issue of illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste.

An assessment of the illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste

An assessment of the illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste

Identification of illegally dumped plastic waste in a highly polluted river in Indonesia using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery

Plastic waste monitoring technology based on Earth observation satellites is one approach that is currently under development in various studies. The complexity of land cover and the high human activity around rivers necessitate the development of studies that can improve the accuracy of monitoring plastic waste in river areas. This study aims to identify illegal dumping in a river area using the adjusted plastic index (API) and Sentinel-2 satellite imagery data. Rancamanyar River has been selected as the research area; it is one of the tributaries of Citarum Indonesia and is an open lotic-simple form, oxbow lake type river. Our study is the first attempt to construct an API and random forest machine learning using Sentinel-2 to identify the illegal dumping of plastic waste. The algorithm development integrated the plastic index algorithm with the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and normalized buildup indices. For the validation process, the results of plastic waste image classification based on Pleiades satellite imagery and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry was used. The validation results show that the API succeeded in improving the accuracy of identifying plastic waste, which gave a better correlation in the r-value and p-value by + 0.287014 and + 3.76 × 10−26 with Pleiades, and + 0.143131 and + 3.17 × 10−10 with UAV.

A Review of sewerage and drainage systems typologies with case study in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire: failures, policy and management techniques perspectives

The failure of sewage and drainage systems in SubSaharan African cities is frequent and can be considered as a critical issue, both from an environmental standpoint and in terms of associated maintenance costs. This study analyzes the state of the sanitation systems, the elements behind the failures, the environmental concepts used to classify the problems, and the tools and methodological alternatives for ranking the various management solutions. This research illustrates the causes that contribute to the dysfunctions in the sewage systems of Abidjan as a typical example of sewerage systems management challenges in SubSaharan Africa’s large cities. Poor solid waste and wastewater management practices by residents, e.g., illegal dumping of solid waste into the sewers, unauthorized and defective connections to the network, structural dysfunctions related to the age of the network (cracked, denuded, or broken), urban agriculture in the vicinity of the channels, natural phenomena such as erosion, landslides in the undeveloped parts, and the high concentration of vegetation in the network, wholly contribute to the degradation of the network. A variety of decision support systems for the management of the assets of the urban sewage network were presented. The instruments have been categorized based on their capacity and functionality. The operating concept of each of these tools has been outlined, as well as their respective data needs. In addition, the study analyzes challenges related to the usage of existing decision support systems and provides an outlook on future research requirements in this area. This study offers a detailed analysis of the issues of sanitation management and could serve as a reference for other emerging nations in SubSaharan Africa.

Strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste management in Indonesia: The case of Semarang City

This study aimed to choose appropriate strategies to reduce GHG emissions through sustainable MSW management (MSWM) in Semarang City, Indonesia. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines was used to calculate GHG emissions from the waste sector. The factors that describe MSWM towards GHG emission mitigation were derived using a bibliometric analysis (VOSviewer). Information on current management practices and the choice of appropriate strategies was acquired using closed questionnaires answered by 20 experts and analyzed quantitatively using strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) and quantitative strategic planning matrix (QSPM) analyses. The total GHG emissions from 2021 to 2030 can be decreased to 10.73 Gg CO2-eq/year if there is an intervention to reduce the amount of illegal waste dumping. Currently, Semarang City needs competitive strategies (ST) to achieve the reduction target based on the SWOT analysis matrix. The highest strategic priority for GHG reduction in the MSW sector is to increase the performance of the sub-district or decentralized services and its data quality management. The SWOT factors and alternative strategies resulting from this case study can be used as references for other capital cities in developing countries to determine their position in MSWM and choose appropriate strategies to achieve sustainability.

Local scale dynamics to promote the sustainable management of construction and demolition waste

On a local scale, municipalities often incur high costs as a result of the illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste (CDW), due to gaps in awareness and training, a lack of adequate oversight actions or infrastructure and equipment. Moreover, there is a loss of resources, failing to close the loop of the circular economy. Six participatory workshops were implemented in 2021, via videoconference due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in a rural Portuguese region, to understand the contribution of local scale dynamics in the promotion of CDW management from an operational perspective. Three of them were dedicated to municipal technicians (39 participants, on average) and the other three to representatives of micro and small construction companies (25 participants, on average). The results reveal that strategies must rely on investment in local solutions to optimise logistics and cost issues, cooperation between stakeholders, and improving the market for recycled aggregates. Also, support for information, awareness, and training is essential, focusing on good practices onsite and oversight procedures. Additionally, municipalities were involved in the prioritisation of legal framework issues, and micro and small construction companies concerning the determinants contributing for their behaviour change. These findings contribute to solving gaps in the literature, useful for researchers and decision-makers in rural or less developed areas.

Prediction of 1,4-Dioxane Migration in Groundwater and Evaluation of Remediation Measures in an Illegal Dumping Site Using a 2D-Numerical Model

Illegal dumping sites are usually characterized by complex contamination situations due to the presence of multiple contamination sources. To improve the efficiency of illegal waste dumping site remediation, this study developed a numerical model considering the effects of groundwater levels and hydraulic gradient changes on remediation operations. Using this model, the most likely sources of contamination for 1,4-dioxane at an illegal waste site in Iwate Prefecture, Japan, were successfully identified (including location, amount, and time of occurrence) by reproducing historical monitoring data (from 2010 to 2022) through history matching, and future contaminant migration in groundwater was predicted. In addition, based on quantitative evaluations of the remediation measures, we found that some remediation measures, such as impermeable wall construction, while having some effects on the control of contamination spreading, may accelerate the migration of contaminants off-site due to the change of hydraulic gradient. Therefore, remediation procedures should be more carefully considered for illegal dumping sites based on an understanding of the distribution of contamination sources and hydraulic gradient evolutions.

Environmental damage compensation for illegal solid waste dumping in China

China aims to improve its system for pursuing environmental damage compensation environmental violation cases. To hold violators accountable, China has an effective system for the identification and assessment (I&A) of environmental damage. This study selected a typical case of the illegal dumping of solid waste (IDSW) in China to analyze the causes, the degree, and characteristics of environmental damage, focusing on components such as the physical quantification and valuation of damage. The findings were as follows: (1) Compensation claimants and obligors consider baseline damage confirmation and causality analysis key components of I&A. (2) The I&A process for a specific case needs to focus on key nodes such as the type, location, and duration of IDSW. (3) Restraining IDSW requires accurately quantifying the physical and value-related losses caused by solid waste dumping. (4) In the selected case study, the damage from environmental contamination caused by the IDSW incident amounted to 3938,990 yuan, including an environmental damage value of 3651,990 yuan and a transaction cost of 287,000 yuan. Both parties accepted the I&A calculation process in this case, and the desired punishment effect was achieved. Hence, the case study demonstrated that accurate I&A is the technical basis for environmental damage compensation. Thus, in the future, more attention should be paid to the role of scientific and technological means and knowledge reserves in the I&A of environmental damage.

Complexities of contemporary urban planning in local government in the City of Polokwane, Limpopo province.

This article recommends that the Polokwane Local Municipality should implement a solar system plant and generate gas from the increasing level of waste in the City of Polokwane. Furthermore, the Polokwane Local Municipality should transition from operating street lights, office lights and traffic lights with electricity towards the use of solar systems.

Operational and structural diagnosis of sewerage and drainage networks in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa

In Cote d'Ivoire, the failure of urban sewage systems is a crucial problem for the drainage of wastewater and rainwater. This failure is due to many factors and therefore, calls for diagnostic studies. The present study aimed at analyzing these networks in order to identify the different factors that contribute to the operational and structural degradation in selected sewerage and drainage networks in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. The method used in the study involved semi-structured interviews, video camera inspection and socio-environmental field surveys (geographical survey and household survey), followed by descriptive statistics. The results revealed that many structural, environmental and behavioral practice contribute to the progressive degradation of urban sewage systems. These factors are essentially those that prevent the normal flow of wastewater in the pipes such as the illegal dumping of solid waste, the unauthorized connection of wastewater networks, unsustainable urban agricultural practices, as well as the high concentration of vegetation on both sides of the network and the dilapidated infrastructure of the wastewater and rainwater networks. It was found that these factors are at the origin of the clogging and degradation of the sewers since 85% of the residents used these sewers as a dumping ground for solid waste.

Analysis of Factors Influencing Illegal Waste Dumping Generation Using GIS Spatial Regression Methods

Illegal municipal waste dumping practices in developing countries may be impacted by many factors such as socioeconomic, demographic, availability of waste collection facilities, recycling sites, and spatial characteristics. This study uses spatial regression analysis to identify which factors primarily impact illegal waste dumping practices. For this purpose, 8 variables explain the data for the 177 subdistricts used in the spatial regression analysis. This study used ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) methods to build a regression model of the factors identified. OLS analysis showed that only elevation and population density were found to become determinants of illegal waste dumping activity based on spatial regression methods. Elevation above sea level is positively correlated while population density is negatively correlated with the number of illegal dumping generations. GWR shows a better statistical value than OLS, where the significance of the adjusted R-square increased from 0.24 to 0.61. This study may help reduce the number of illegal waste dumping practices, especially in a metro city context.