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Systems approaches to integrated solid waste management in developing countries.
Rachael E Marshall1, Khosrow Farahbakhsh
1School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada. rmarsh01@uoguelph.ca
Waste Management (New York, N.Y.)
|January 31, 2013
Summary
Solid waste management (SWM) in developing countries faces unique challenges due to rapid urbanization and complex socio-economic factors. New approaches are needed, moving beyond industrialized nation models to integrate post-normal science and adaptive systems thinking for effective SWM.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Urban Planning
- Public Policy
Background:
- Global concern over solid waste management (SWM) is rising due to increasing urban populations and changing consumption.
- Developing countries face mounting health and environmental implications from SWM, with collection and removal dominating current practices.
- Industrialized nations have utilized systems analyses for SWM since the 1960s, evolving towards integrated SWM.
Purpose of the Study:
- To contrast SWM practices and policies in industrialized countries with challenges in developing nations.
- To identify factors complicating SWM in developing countries, limiting the applicability of industrialized approaches.
- To advocate for new SWM strategies grounded in post-normal science and complex adaptive systems thinking for developing country contexts.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and comparative analysis of SWM paradigms.
- Examination of historical SWM development trajectories in industrialized nations.
- Analysis of socio-economic, policy, and governance factors influencing SWM in developing countries.
Main Results:
- Industrialized countries' SWM evolved driven by public health, environment, resource scarcity, climate change, and public participation towards integrated SWM.
- Developing countries' SWM is complicated by urbanization, inequality, economic growth, cultural aspects, governance, and international influences.
- Established SWM approaches from industrialized countries are often inapplicable to the complex realities of developing nations.
Conclusions:
- Developing country SWM requires context-specific solutions that acknowledge unique complexities.
- Adoption of post-normal science and complex adaptive systems thinking is crucial for innovative and effective SWM in developing nations.
- Future SWM strategies must move beyond traditional models to address the intricate challenges faced by rapidly urbanizing economies.
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