Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Community-based solid waste management'

This dissertation aimed to assess the potential for community participation in solid waste management. The study took place in Highfields, which is a suburb in Harare the capital city of Zimbabwe. Two approaches were used to collect the data: qualitative and quantitative approach. Qualitative methods included focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with residents, resident representative and members of some prominent environmental groups. Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires designed in such a way as to capture knowledge attitudes and perceptions. In the course of the study it emerged that people were more concerned with the visual and sanitary impacts of poorly managed or uncollected waste as opposed to the environmental impact. Moreover very few residents were aware of the environmental impacts of inappropriately managed waste. The study revealed that there was a prevailing culture of dependence on municipal management of solid waste. The mentality that waste management is the sole responsibility of municipal authorities is one of the greatest challenges that is proving to be an obstacle in integrating the community in waste management. It is concluded that though there is a definite need for improvement in the current solid waste management system the concept of the community playing a role is hindered by the prevailing attitude that the responsibility of waste management reset in the hands of municipal authorities. Copyright 2008, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Mlanda-Zvikaramba, JC 2008, Exploring the potential for community participation in solid waste management in Highfields Harare, MA dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03302012-113635 / > C12/4/4/gm
Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2008.
Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology
Unrestricted

Efficient waste management enables the protection of human health, reducing environmental pollution, saving of natural resources, and achieving sustainable and profitable management of energy. In many countries, the general guidelines for waste management are set by national or local waste management plans. Various models provide local authorities with decision-making tools in planning long-term waste management scenarios.This study aims at providing a special model framework for the evaluation of ecological–economic efficiency (ECO-EE) of waste management. This will serve as an information support tool for decision making by actors of a solid waste management (SWM) scheme, primarily at the municipal and regional levels. The objective of this study is to apply the waste management’s efficient decision (WAMED) model along with the company statistical business tool for environmental recovery indicator (COSTBUSTER) model to SWM and municipal solid waste (MSW) schemes in general in order to evaluate and improve their ECO-EE. COSTBUSTER is a mathematical indicator for the size and extent of implementation costs of a certain SWM scheme, compared with the total size of the average financial budget of a SWM actor of a certain kind. In particular, WAMED is proposed for evaluating the suitability to invest in baling technology. Baling of solid waste is an emerging technology which is extensively used worldwide to temporarily store waste for either incineration or recovery of raw materials. The model for efficient use of resources for optimal production economy (the EUROPE model) is for the first time applied to emissions from baling facilities. It has been analysed how cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and full cost accounting (FCA) can facilitate environmental optimisation of SWM schemes. The effort in this work represents a continuation of such ambitions as an enlargement of the research area of CBA based modelling within SWM. In the thesis, certain theoretical and economic aspects of SWM were analysed as case studies. A shift of viewpoints within the field of waste management is presented. This shift is in accordance with the prevailing concept of sustainable development, as commonly understood. It is concluded that in the practical SWM context, the findings of the study point at the possibilities to modify the common CBA- and FCA-based methods by WAMED, COSTBUSTER, and EUROPE. Therefore, it can be said that estimations in a SWM scheme can be carried out by using certain economic model, if properly modified in a logical and plausible way. New principles for cost allocation to SWM residual products are presented in the current work. They imply strong industrial cost saving incentives through promoting the introduction of new and improved processing technologies for rest-waste. Such incentives then strongly promote investments that are likely to improve both the environment and the corporate profitability. Thereby, the occurrence of non-commercialised, and hence not utilized, wastes is reduced. This improves the short term corporate economy through saving raw materials such as solid waste fuel, spending less time for administrating waste flows, and less wear and tear of the plant machinery. Additional environmental advantages which affect the balance sheets in a favourable way are related to the long-term business economy and extended environmental goodwill. This is due to the recently introduced way of considering solid waste as regular goods in financial terms - the equality principle. If waste is seen as goods, and not wasted in landfills, the environment will improve. This, in turn, leads to an improved quality of life. Based on the current study, it is recommended to apply WAMED to SWM schemes in order to evaluate their ECO–EE to justify decision making and investments. Also, it is recommended to apply COSTBUSTER, based on the current WAMED outcome, to SWM schemes to determine their relative size and extent. It is recommended to apply EUROPE to the emissions in case of accidental burning, treatment of leachate, andabatement with odours at any SWM scheme, based on the induced economic incentives, in order to reduce unwanted substances and phenomena.

Lack of genuine concern for solid waste management practices and inefficiency of sol-id waste management system is one of the greatest environmental issues in Addis Ab-aba, Ethiopia. The Current Municipal Solid Waste Management System is extremely inefficient and ineffective. An illegal waste dumping, inefficient waste collection, and informal recycling are some of the issues that need to be immediately rectified. There-fore, this study was conducted in order to get a knowledge transfer from a developed country, Sweden, Östersund Municipality. The practical waste management and recy-cling activities undertaking in the city of Östersund have been assessed, evaluated and discussed in the study. Physical site visits, surveys, informal interviews, and group dis-cussions have also been conducted to be able to draw an immensely useful and tangi-ble recommendation for the improvement of Solid Waste Management and Recycling Scheme in Addis Ababa. Based on the experience acquired from Östersund the entire Solid Waste Management system in Addis Ababa has been evaluated and useful dis-cussions, recommendations, and conclusions have been drawn. Besides as recycling is one of the most significant waste management hierarchy components, it should have been given top priority in reducing the amount of waste generation in developing countries like Ethiopia. However, the recycling activities taking place in the country are highly limited and informal. Moreover, evaluation of the potential of recyclable wastes in Addis Ababa, discussion on how and why recycling needs to be given prece-dence and later comparison is made with Östersund Municipality in order to be able to gain knowledge from the Swedish experience. Besides, discussions were made in order to address decisive measures that need to be taken to implement the Swedish experience in the Solid Waste Management and Recycling sector in Addis Ababa Ethiopia in an environmentally friendly and economical way.

Solid waste management in high density low-income areas is a problem that manifests itself in ubiquitous illegal dumpsites and unhealthy living environmental conditions. Community participation in solid waste management in Duncan Village, C-Section has been found to be part of the solution to this problem. This study investigates community participation in SWM at household level, community waste project level and at informal salvaging/scavenging level. The integration of community participation into existing Buffalo City Municipality waste management plans and the nature of the relationship between the different interest groups are investigated. This study employs qualitative research methods where interviews and participatory observations are used to investigate key objectives. The nature of the relationships between councillors, C-Section residents and the Buffalo City Municipality Departments are tenuous and fraught with conflicts. These conflicts emerge due to the lack of communication as well as due to the non-integration of the community interest groups‟ views and activities into solid waste management in C-Section. The study suggests that this lack of communication should be addressed and that integrated participation of all stakeholders must be encouraged for effective solid waste management in a high density low-income community.

Many authors, along with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), argue that biological treatments such as anaerobic digestion (AD) and composting would be suitable in developing cities due the highly organic nature of their waste. AD entails the degradation of organic substances in the absence of oxygen, and its main products are CH 4-rich biogas and the remaining sludge. AD occurs in four main phases (hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis) and is a complex process, where microbiological, biochemical and physico-chemical phenomena are closely linked. Although composting the organic fraction of MSW (OFMSW) has been the preferred treatment method due to the low economic costs and operative ease, the production of biogas - a renewable energy source - has now positioned AD as the more energy efficient process as opposed to composting which requires energy inputs. A clear identification and understanding of the different organic waste streams available, their respective biogas potential, the engineering considerations and process limitations are needed to ensure good performance of AD plants. Location-specific data on the behaviour of different organic wastes in AD are, however, scarce, particularly in Africa. This dissertation is an attempt to generate Africa-relevant engineering knowledge through laboratory scale experiments of AD of organic waste streams typically disposed off in landfills. The main objectives of this dissertation are to (i) investigate the suitability for treatment by AD of typical organic waste streams in MSW, and (ii) consider the interplay between the nature of the available wastes and the temporal evolution of various process parameters. Finally, this dissertation aims to make sound recommendations from the data generated, building a preliminary source of knowledge for waste management officials and independent entrepreneurs.

Municipal solid waste management is gradually becoming a major challenge that is confronting governments in all spheres. This can be attributed to urbanisation and startling population escalation. Each and every member in a community is a contributor to this dilemma and a generator of waste. The essence of this study is to investigate whether the utilisation of education programmes can assist to improve how communities handle and dispose their household waste and its contribution to the effectiveness of the integrated solid waste management system for the New Brighton Township in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. A theoretical framework is developed using the systems theory in trying to address the challenge. The study used the qualitative research method. Data were gathered using questionnaires and face-to face interviews. The empirical survey was employed for the purposes of the study and the interpretation of the research findings were analysed and described. As a metropolitan municipality, it is envisaged that this research will assist the NMBM, to identify how to manage solid waste efficiently and effectively and thus enhancing service delivery that will ensure communities of their well-being and dignity. Various recommendations are presented, based on the findings of the study. It is hoped that these recommendations If are adopted, the NMBM will be able to deal more effectively and efficiently with the challenges that the NMBM is faced with in dealing with waste management issues thereby enabling the NMBM to deliver the most basic need to the communities of the New Brighton Townships.

Higher Education Institutions are spaces for planning strategies deployment and sustainable best practices implementation in teaching, research, outreach, management and operations, behaving as a role model to society. The innovation of this work relies on deploying tools to aid waste management decision-making, considering that higher education institutions community are potential sustainability agent promoters, and that strategies to integrate HEIs educational dimension with engagement, operational, and policy & management dimensions, is this works innovation from other frameworks already deployed. It is important to understand that HEIs, different than other institutions, have the obligation to build knowledge and to train its community to serve society. HEIs responsibility to prepare new leaders, given the opportunity for raising awareness and sustainable culture by engaging its community in daily activities, by preparing them to see daily challenges and solve it through more sustainable approaches. This works tools were deployed using social sciences, engineering, and computational modeling interfaces. This thesis products are a literature review regard solid waste management at Higher Education Institutions; The description of the solid waste management at University of São Paulo – São Carlos Campus, a study describing strengthening and weakening factors for the University of São Paulo Recicla recycle program; A framework for solid waste management at Higher Education Institutions; The use of survey as a tool to assess culture of sustainability at the University of São Paulo – São Carlos Campus; The Waste Management Index for Brazilian Higher Education Institutions; and the use of Agent-Based Modeling methodology as a decision-making tool for recycling initiatives. The main conclusions are that there is a gap on tools to help decision-making regard solid waste management and that consider higher education institutions specificities, this lead to creation of tools to address these necessities. By working to deploy tools with social sciences and engineering interfaces, researchers can find an innovative, rich, and barely exploited field.
Instituições de ensino superior são espaços para implantação de estratégias de planejamento e melhores práticas sustentáveis no ensino, pesquisa, extensão, gerenciamento e operações, comportando-se como modelo para a sociedade. A inovação deste trabalho baseia-se na elaboração e implantação de ferramentas para auxiliar na tomada de decisão referente a gerenciamento de resíduos, considerando que a comunidade de instituições de ensino superior são potenciais agentes promotores de sustentabilidade. Além disso, estratégias para integrar a dimensão educacional das IES com o engajamento, as dimensões operacional e de políticas e gestão é o que diferencia o modelo aqui proposto de outros modelos existentes. É importante entender que as IES, diferentes das outras instituições, têm a obrigação de construir conhecimento e treinar sua comunidade para servir a sociedade. A responsabilidade da IES em preparar novos líderes, tem a oportunidade de aumentar a conscientização e a cultura sustentável, envolvendo sua comunidade nas atividades diárias, preparando-as para ver desafios diários e resolvê-lo através de abordagens mais sustentáveis. As ferramentas foram elaboradas usando interfaces de ciências sociais, engenharia e modelagem computacional. Os produtos desta tese são: A revisão da literatura sobre o gerenciamento de resíduos sólidos nas Instituições de Ensino Superior; A descrição da gestão de resíduos sólidos no campus da Universidade de São Paulo - São Carlos, um estudo que descreve os fatores de fortalecimento e fragilização do programa de reciclagem de Recicla da Universidade de São Paulo; Um modelo para a gestão de resíduos sólidos nas Instituições de Ensino Superior; O uso da questionários como ferramenta para avaliar a cultura de sustentabilidade na Universidade de São Paulo - Campus de São Carlos; O Índice de Gestão de Resíduos Sólidos para Instituições de Ensino Superior Brasileiras; e O uso da metodologia de modelagem baseada em agentes como uma ferramenta de tomada de decisão para iniciativas de reciclagem. As principais conclusões são que há uma lacuna em ferramentas para ajudar a tomada de decisão em relação ao gerenciamento de resíduos sólidos e que consideram as especificidades das instituições de ensino superior, o que leva à criação de ferramentas para atender a essas necessidades. Trabalhando para implantar ferramentas com interface entre as ciências sociais, engenharia, e modelagem computacional os pesquisadores puderam trabalhar em um campo inovador, rico e pouco explorado.

Subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requires a post closure period of 30 years for non hazardous wastes in landfills. Post closure care (PCC) activities under Subtitle D include leachate collection and treatment, groundwater monitoring, inspection and maintenance of the final cover, and monitoring to ensure that landfill gas does not migrate off site or into on site buildings. The decision to reduce PCC duration requires exploration of a performance based methodology to Florida landfills. PCC should be based on whether the landfill is a threat to human health or the environment. Historically no risk based procedure has been available to establish an early end to PCC. Landfill stability depends on a number of factors that include variables that relate to operations both before and after the closure of a landfill cell. Therefore, PCC decisions should be based on location specific factors, operational factors, design factors, post closure performance, end use, and risk analysis. The question of appropriate PCC period for Florida’s landfills requires in depth case studies focusing on the analysis of the performance data from closed landfills in Florida. Based on data availability, Davie Landfill was identified as case study site for a case by case analysis of landfill stability. The performance based PCC decision system developed by Geosyntec Consultants was used for the assessment of site conditions to project PCC needs. The available data for leachate and gas quantity and quality, ground water quality, and cap conditions were evaluated. The quality and quantity data for leachate and gas were analyzed to project the levels of pollutants in leachate and groundwater in reference to maximum contaminant level (MCL). In addition, the projected amount of gas quantity was estimated. A set of contaminants (including metals and organics) were identified as contaminants detected in groundwater for health risk assessment. These contaminants were selected based on their detection frequency and levels in leachate and ground water; and their historical and projected trends. During the evaluations a range of discrepancies and problems that related to the collection and documentation were encountered and possible solutions made. Based on the results of PCC performance integrated with risk assessment, projection of future PCC monitoring needs and sustainable waste management options were identified. According to these results, landfill gas monitoring can be terminated, leachate and groundwater monitoring for parameters above MCL and surveying of the cap integrity should be continued. The parameters which cause longer monitoring periods can be eliminated for the future sustainable landfills. As a conclusion, 30 year PCC period can be reduced for some of the landfill components based on their potential impacts to human health and environment (HH&E).

Waste reprocessing is a growing trend in different communities around South Africa which has become influential to the socio-economic liberalism of the people that are recycling at source in their respective areas. The focus of the research study is on the contributions of community-based organisations involved in recycling towards the social and environmental sustainability. The study explores (i) work done by community-based organisations in recycling, (ii) how the organisations turn unwanted products in to something usable and manage to sustain themselves and provide for their families, and (iii) how unpleasant municipality policies on the management of waste are to the organisations involved in recycling. As a result a comprehensive and consistent information set comprising significant contributions from the responsible stakeholders that contribute to the national waste stream will be expressed; regarding the development of relevant statutory frameworks to address and clarify issues facing reprocessing at large. South Africa is signatory to a number of international accords, hence a comprehensive international perspective on waste re-utilisation is incorporated. The notion of partnership is emphasized as it ought to be accompanied by other measures that can unleash a practical validity and influence; hence the public-private partnership strategy towards recycling is recommended as a requisite to try and tackle the challenges facing community-based organisations and the system of managing waste especially in the Emfuleni Local Municipality. The partnerships should be determined as the principle framework between the people, the private sector and the entire administration. The more serious the community-based organisations towards the system of managing waste around an area, the better it will turn out to be for the communities concerned. Unemployment is also the biggest issue thus far and strategies have long been implemented to tackle the crisis, and yet the public is still faced and halted by means that are expensive in nature. Advanced educational facilities for instance, which are still major challenges to the people around Emfuleni. The logic of responsibility now is therefore to develop, implement and enforce recently formulated legislation to encourage the masses to be involved in the process of recycling. Indeed, the lack of co-ordination by private sector, the people and local authorities has resulted in the involvement of community-based organisations being regarded as non-existing and not being intensified in South Africa. The contributions made by waste pickers in making sure that the green environment concept is maintained in societies they live in, is in fact the actual concern in undertaking these research study. The negative stigma associated with the communities involved in recycling is endured as individuals are able to support their families and themselves through recycling ingenuities. The Emfuleni Local Municipality has some of the best strategies and plans to address the involvement of community-based organisations in their disposal, and the full implementation of this category has to prioritised in order to achieve a hospitable and sustainable environment for the area.
M Development and Management (Public Management and Governance), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

Urban solid waste management (USWM) problems facing cities in the developed and developing world are well documented; however, progress in tackling them is very slow in the latter. There are still many communities, neighbourhoods, and local markets where garbage is not collected for a considerable length of time. Many of the affected houses are situated in poor neighbourhoods on the edges and core areas of cities. In order to secure the future of urban environments in the developing world from continuous or perpetual decay, it is important to study the role of social capital in urban solid waste management. Toward this end, a case study research was carried out in Ibadan, Nigeria. For the purpose of the study, social capital was defined as the attributes of social organization, such as trust, cultural norms and social networks by which communities facilitate action. Emerging research suggests that social capital might have an important role to play in effective community-based urban solid waste management initiatives. Empirical evidence suggests that communities with a high level of social capital are in better shape to organize a community-based urban solid waste management project, if the other factors remain supportive. This dissertation seeks to place the concept of social capital in the practice of urban solid waste management, especially at the community level as well as on a wider philosophical and policy levels. The intention here is to advance the understanding of social capital both in relation to its nature as a quality of community life and in terms of its significance as an instrument in the hands of the agents of change. Therefore, this research examines the degree to which social capital and community-based organizations are important in the overall functioning of urban solid waste management at the community level in Ibadan, Nigeria. The main objective of the research was to explore the role of social capital in community-based urban solid waste management and to understand why people participate in voluntary associations for the provision of common goods in Ibadan, Nigeria. This objective is pursued in three specific dimensions: (i) to understand and document the feature of the current solid waste management system in Ibadan; (ii) to explore the extent to which social capital affects community-based urban solid waste management success; (iii) to identify other elements that could facilitate successful urban solid waste management at the community and institutional levels. This study adopts both quantitative and qualitative approaches using multiple data gathering techniques (e.g.) semi-structured face-to-face interviews, direct field observation, focus group, and information sections; conversations with community leaders, key informants, government officials and waste generators to gather different but relevant information and data. The secondary data includes data on waste management from Oyo State Solid Waste Management Authority (OSSWMA) and valuation data from the office of Sustainable Ibadan Project (SIP). The quantitative section of the research encompasses 66 core questions on Social Capital via Integrated Questionnaire. The structured questionnaire measures various elements of social capital using four proxies. The data set covered 7 communities and 385 households and the basic unit of analysis was the neighbourhood. Major findings from the study include: (i) No evidence suggesting that homogeneity is a virtue for collective action in urban solid waste management at the community level nor is there evidence suggesting that homogeneity increases civic engagement in the communities studied. (ii) Empirical evidence suggests that to a great extent, social capital can influence the success of community-based urban solid waste management initiatives. However, social networks among private and professional associations, the density and diversity of social network differ within and between communities. (iii) Empirical field observation results show that social capital had positive influence on the success of community-based urban solid waste management in Bodija, Ayeye, and communities. (iv)The study results indicate that the residents of Agbowo, NTC Road, Foko, and Sasa communities failed to establish community-based USWM initiatives for a range of reasons. Some of the reasons include the paucity of face-to-face interactions among households; resident’s cultural and behavioural differences, lack of charismatic leadership and lack of cooperation among community members. (v) The study results and direct field observations also suggest that there is high-level of social capital among individuals involved in urban solid waste management at the community level in the city of Ibadan. (vi) Field information/observations from Ayeye, Bodija, and Alesinloye communities reveal that social networks and interpersonal relationships were constructed along the line of local identity among the residents. (vii) Empirical findings suggest that the presence of a network of ties based on acquaintances, business partnerships, religious groups, and people from the same region, living in the same community, serve as a foundation for building social relations. The study concluded that Putnam’s generalization and conceptualization of social capital is not completely or equally applicable to different social and political environments. Therefore, it needs to be contextualized according to local problems in order to obtain the gains. The research also reveals that social capital alone is not enough to form community-based urban solid waste management projects in Ibadan, Nigeria. It works well with other elements such as collaborative, incremental planning and community capacity building.

MENVSC
Department of Ecology and Resource Management
Solid waste management (SWM) has become an issue of increasing worldwide concern as urban populations continue to rise and consumption patterns change. The health and environmental effects associated with SWM are escalating, predominantly in the perspective of developing countries. The rise in rural-urban migration rates in developing countries has left local authorities overwhelmed and failing to cope with the increase in solid waste. This has led to a shift from conventional systems of solid waste management to contemporary systems such as community based solid waste management (CBSWM). Despite the shift, it seems local authorities in developing countries still fail to manage suburban waste effectively. This study investigated the performance of a CBSWM scheme in Nkulumane, a high-density suburb in Bulawayo. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected, hence a mixed methods approach employed. The study incorporated systematic sampling and purposive sampling in the selection of research participants. Data was collected through qualitative questionnaires, semi structured interviews and field observations. Thematic content analysis and descriptive statistics from SPSS version 25 were used in data analysis. The study revealed that community members from Nkulumane had sound knowledge on what CBSWM entails, however the community members had negative attitude towards CBSWM and traditional notions on SWM had an influence of their perception of CBSWM concepts. The study also revealed that Bulawayo City Council had managed to create employment for the community through a CBSWM scheme. Furthermore, operating expenses of the city council had decreased over the years. The level of environmental awareness had improved in the study area as well. However, Bulawayo City Council has battled with community participation problems, financial constraints and inter-institutional infighting. This study provides a comprehensive report on the performance of the CBSWM scheme in Nkulumane high density suburb, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
NRF

Solid waste management (SWM) is a growing problem in developing countries around the world. In Guatemala, indigenous communities, which are predominantly rural and remote, are particularly hard hit by a lack of basic SWM services. Todos Santos, situated in the Cuchumatanes mountain range of northwestern Guatemala, is one such community. As projects developed, planned, and implemented from 'the top down' continue to be ineffective, the literature provides little insight about remote communities' perspectives on exactly what issues SWM creates, influences, and exacerbates, and how they might respond to these concerns themselves. Using a participatory systems approach, this study investigated the systemic structures and behaviours that maintain and exacerbate SWM challenges in Todos Santos, and where key places (leverage points) to intervene in the system may exist. The study presents a wide selection of locally appropriate SWM solutions to target these leverage points in the form of four future scenarios These scenarios act as a step-wise implementation plan for gradual implementation in the community, each building upon the previous, ultimately reaching a community-defined vision for SWM.

The geotechnical properties of municipal solid waste (MSW) such as compressibility, shear strength and stiffness are of prime importance in design and construction of landfills. However, it is not well clear how the stress-strain and strength characteristics vary with time as the biodegradation of waste continues in the landfill. There is also a need to address the variability of MSW properties and their role in landfill design. The present thesis proposes models for the analyses of stress-strain response of MSW in undrained and drained conditions. The proposed models are based on critical state soil mechanics concept and the modified cam clay model is extended to consider the effects of creep and biodegradation. The models are examined with reference to experimental data and published results of MSW in the form of stress strain response. In addition, the experimental results and the data from published literature are also compared with predictions from hyperbolic model. The proposed models are able to capture the stress strain response of MSW in undrained and drained condition adequately. The applicability of proposed model is presented in terms of shear strength ratio, stiffness ratio and settlement for typical landfill cases. In order to examine the influence of model parameters on shear strength, stiffness ratio and settlement, multilinear regression equations are developed based on response surface method (RSM) for different coefficients of variation (COVs). The effect of variability associated with model parameters is examined using reliability analysis. For better understanding, the present thesis is divided into following seven chapters. Chapter 1 is an introductory chapter, in which the need for use of the constitutive models and its use in engineering response analysis of MSW is presented. Further, the organization of thesis is also presented. Chapter 2 presents various studies with regard to the engineering properties of MSW available in the literature. Different models and approaches proposed by various researchers for the prediction of stress-strain response, time dependent behavior and settlement analysis of the MSW are presented. The uncertainty associated with engineering properties and available methods for reliability analysis and the use of response surface method are presented. Finally, based on the literature review, the scope of the thesis and summary of chapter are presented at the end. Chapter 3 presents composition of MSW, detailed description of the sample preparation, methods adopted in the experimental program and test results of one dimensional compression and consolidated undrained tests. Based on the experimental observations, a constitutive model for municipal solid waste for undrained condition in the framework of modified cam clay model considering mechanical creep and biodegradation mechanisms is proposed. It also provides detailed description of the selection of the input parameters required for the proposed model. Further, the detailed derivation of proposed model and the discussion on evaluation of the input model parameters from triaxial and consolidation tests are presented. The model is examined with reference to the experimental data and published results. The stress strain behavior of MSW is compared with the prediction of stress strain response from hyperbolic model. The comparison of stress strain response is well captured using proposed model for all levels of strain. The major conclusions from the study are presented at the end. Chapter 4 presents experimental results of consolidated drained tests. A constitutive model for MSW for drained condition in the framework of modified cam clay model considering mechanical creep and biodegradation mechanisms is proposed. The model is examined with reference to the experimental data and data from published literature. In addition, stress strain behavior of MSW is compared with the predictions from hyperbolic model. The comparison of stress strain response is well captured using proposed model for all levels of strain. The major conclusions from the study are presented at the end. Chapter 5 presents the applicability of proposed models in terms of shear strength ratio and stiffness ratio for a typical landfill condition. Based on response surface method (RSM), multilinear response surface equations are developed for different variables ( M, λ.b.c.d.Edg ) for different percentages of strain for 10 and 20% COVs of the model parameters. The effect of variability of model parameters is presented in terms of results of reliability analysis for specified performance functions. The major conclusions from the study are presented at the end. Chapter 6 presents an approach for the settlement evaluation of MSW for a typical landfill case of 30 m high. Based on RSM, multilinear response surface equations are developed for the calculation of MSW settlement for 30 years for 10 and 20% COVs. The effect of variability of model parameters is evaluated in term of reliability index for performance function specified in terms of landfill capacity. The major conclusions from the study are presented at the end. Chapter 7 presents a brief summary and conclusions from the various studies reported in the present thesis.

The generation of solid waste is a natural consequence of human life. Its rate has increase rapidly along the years, mostly due to the population growth, urbanization process coupled to industrialization and economic development. The uncontrolled disposal of solid waste in unsuitable sites, dump sites, has poses a threat to public health and the environment. In this regard Global efforts has been made to rethink municipal solid waste management toward sustainability. Middle- and low-income countries, such as Brazil, should seize the opportunity and centre efforts in the development and strengthen of an inclusive municipal solid waste management, supported by an innovative public policy where all government levels are integrated and focused on resource recovery and recycling through the organization and strengthening of waste pickers, in order to act directly in the income improvement of a marginalized portion of society as a result of the revenue generated by recovered and recycled materials sales, as well as reduce the CO2eq emissions consequent from the disposal of solid waste, among others, hence moving these countries towards the achievement of the SDG goals. In this regard, a well managed inclusive municipal solid waste system requires a reliable data source to support decision makers in the design of public policies with effective actions in the field, otherwise innovative and modern public policies will be filled with fruitless actions, thus, wasting the aptitude of the municipal solid waste management system in help middle- and low-income countries to successfully carry out the SDGs goals. Nevertheless, the estimation methods are a valuable tool for decision makers in middle- and low income countries to outrun the lack of solid waste information and doing so, increase the effectiveness of public polices towards a sustainable and inclusive municipal solid waste system, focused on mitigate negative impacts in the environmental sphere and potentiate the positive outcomes in the public health and human development sphere in these countries. This research proposed an estimate method based on the nominal income which is able to provide a reliable estimate of the residential solid waste generation, as well as its spatial distribution in the municipal level and within the municipal boundaries. The proposed approach has the ability to differentiate spatial distribution of the residential solid waste generation, weighting not just the number of people living in a determined space, but also the purchase power of those people, providing a more accurate view of the issue, which benefits decision makers to design and plan their polices and actions.
Graduate

Marine debris is an ever growing environmental and human health concern. Beach litter is a major contributor to the issue of marine debris, especially in the Global South where lack of awareness and successful policy are factors in the continuous accumulation of debris on beaches and in coastal communities. Under the community-based, participatory action framework, this study will explore beach users’ and other key stakeholders in the local government and non-governmental organization sectors’ knowledge of waste in their environment and potential solutions to the issue of plastic marine pollution. It will also examine the waste composition on a local beach in São Sebastião, Brazil by collecting, quantifying and characterizing the waste to determine the major polluters. The study will explore ways of improving awareness and environmental education of beach users, as well as investigating ways to reduce littering of waste on beaches. Results from this research will help to provide suggestions for local decision makers to improve policy that addresses marine debris and beach littering.
Graduate
2022-04-15

This research explores how Participatory Video (PV) can facilitate empowerment and strengthen dialogue and engagement for public policy with members of recycling cooperatives and government in the greater metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil. The research project provided opportunities for catadores/as (‘recyclers’) to explore PV as a way to shed light on their livelihood challenges, but also as an approach to celebrate, demonstrate and legitimize the value and significance of their work to local government and community. Working through a participatory approach, twenty-two leaders from eleven cooperatives were involved in all aspects of the video-making process, from script writing to filming, group editing and knowledge mobilization. The research took place during nine months of fieldwork located in four municipalities in the greater metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil using multiple ethnographic and participatory methods. The methodology for this research is action-oriented, and applies a participatory community-based multi-methods approach. The purpose of the videos was to relay the message that catadores/as perform a valuable service to society, and through the organization of cooperatives have the capacity to be further supported and integrated into waste management programs. The videos were used as a tool for communication with government and for community outreach. This research is supported through the Participatory Sustainable Waste Management (PSWM) project, a six-year Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) funded University Partnership project (2005-2011). The overall purpose of the participatory-based PSWM project was to increase the effectiveness, safety, and income generation of organized waste recycling in originally four and later six Brazilian municipalities in the metropolitan region of São Paulo: Santo André, Diadema, Ribeirão Pires, São Bernardo do Campo, Mauá and some parts of the municipality of São Paulo. The capacity building activities and actions of the PSWM project have contributed to structure, organize and strengthen cooperative recycling enterprises and their members, for example, by setting up a pilot project on micro-credit and advancing the practice of solidarity economy through collective commercialization and networking of the recyclers in the region. In addition, the project has helped create a more inclusive culture amongst the local governments in this region, where many recyclers are now present in political meetings and decision making related to waste management. Unfortunately, this is not the case in all the municipalities and there are still barriers to participatory models in decision-making and a lack of political support. Findings support the conclusion that PV can be a powerful methodological tool contributing to the process of individual, community and organizational empowerment and is significant for democratic governance and the increasingly popular notion of the knowledge democracy. This research also has policy relevance and practical application. The findings have the capacity to inform models of participatory governance, and improved democratic processes in addressing complex urban development challenges, in addition to advancing practices in government accountability and transparency.
Graduate
0344
0700
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crystaltre@gmail.com