The Concept of Integrated MSW Management: History
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Contributor:
Alena Harbiankova
,
Sławomir Kalinowski

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is one of the key challenges of environmental, economic and social importance. It is a global problem regardless of economic development level and political orientation, and also applies to a country such as Belarus. 

  • zero waste
  • municipal solid waste
  • waste management
  • sustainable development

1. General Principles of MSW Management

The urgency of the waste problem is related to the global scale of its generation. According to the World Bank, the world generates over 2 billion tons of MSW annually [1]. The necessity to solve the waste problem has caused a new area of environmental policy aimed at the development of methods in MSW management and treatment. The term ‘waste management’ means the regulating and managing of all processes associated with waste generating, storing, transporting, recycling, treating and disposing of waste, has emerged and become widespread worldwide to describe this area.
The waste issues are to be solved by implementing the integrated system of waste management [2]. The main target of waste management in accordance with the sustainable development paradigm is reduction in landfill waste and maximization of recycling as secondary raw materials and energy sources [3][4]. Considering the above, waste management should follow a comprehensive approach including technical, financial, social, cultural, environmental and governance dimensions [5][6].
There are various interrelated aspects of MSW crisis making (in addition to the waste landfill space shortage): (i) MSW volume is constantly increasing, either in absolute values or per capita; (ii) MSW structure becomes more and more complicated, including an increasing share of environmentally hazardous components; (iii) community reaction towards waste landfilling techniques becomes extremely negative; (iv) legislation tightening the waste management regulations is implemented at all government levels; (v) innovative waste management technologies, including advanced segregation systems, incinerator plants and sanitary landfills, are widely implemented; (vi) waste management economics becomes more complicated and waste management costs are rising rapidly, thus waste management is impossible without private players and large investors. Both of the above make a ‘vicious circle’ of waste management crisis as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. The ‘vicious circle’ of waste management crisis. Source: Own Study.
The current critical situation in MSW management requires new solutions for reduction and minimization of environmental waste impact: a complex of social, economic, technological and engineering problems in waste management caused the necessity of developing the concept of integrated MSW management [7][8]. Such concepts were developed, adopted in numerous world countries and approved within their legislative bodies. Thus, there are two laws About environment protection and About waste management in Belarus, Natural Resources Conservation Law in USA, and Waste Framework Directive in EU. While the above documents consider the features and level of national development and vary slightly, the basic concept of MSW management remains common regardless of the location or economic position of the country. Therefore, the basic idea of the MSW management system is to minimize MSW disposal or landfill, while the general principles of integrated MSW management systems are multicomponent nature, treatment combination, community outreach, flexibility and adaptability, and stakeholder involvement (Table 1).
Table 1. General Principles of Integrated MSW Management Systems.
Principle Description
Multicomponent nature MSW systems consist of different components, which should be treated with various approaches
Treatment
combination		 All technologies and measures, including waste recycling and backfilling, landfill and incineration should be combined for MSW management by components. Each technology and measure should be developed as a comprehensive and mutually reinforcing package
Community
outreach		 MSW management systems should be based on specified local challenges and resources. Local knowledge on MSW management should be accumulated step by step through the development and implementation of local programs
Flexibility and adaptability An integrated MSW approach is based on strategic long-term planning, providing the flexibility required to adjust for potential changes in MSW composition and volume, and the availability of recycling technologies. Monitoring and evaluating the outcomes should be an integral part of program implementation
Stakeholder
involvement		 Involvement of municipal authorities and community groups—‘waste generators’—is a required step in solving the MSW problem

2. MSW Management Hierarchy

Despite an advanced legislative background [9], the theoretical and methodological bases in formulation of integrated system of environmental protection and rational environmental management, including waste management, have not been completely developed in world practice yet [10][11]. Practical approaches to creating such a system include mechanisms and tools for implementation of optimal MSM policy [12][13] formed under the influence of a wide range of external and internal pressures [14][15], and vary significantly from one country to another [16][17].
Globally, the principal routes of waste management were defined at the International Conference on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg (South Africa) in 2002, including waste prevention, maximizing reuse as well as recycling and the use of alternative, environmentally friendly materials.
Generated MSW is treated using the methods which may be conveniently classified into three main groups as follows: (i) recycling as returning of separate components of MSW into economic circulation by separating them from the whole volume and utilizing contents as raw materials and production outputs; (ii) backfilling as utilization of organic components of MSW through biological treatment by various microorganisms; and (iii) incineration as using of mixed MSW or separated fractions to generate thermal and/or electric energy.
In the EU, the legislative framework for waste management is set by two main directives—the Waste Framework Directive and the Hazardous Waste Directive. The requirements of the directives are implemented via the national legislative systems of EU member states. The hierarchy of waste management methods (in descending order of priority) is currently legislated in the EU by the Waste Directive as follows: prevention; preparing for re-use; recycling; recovery; and disposal. Waste prevention is the preferable strategy, and landfilling should be the last solution. Waste preventing and recycling provide an overall reduction in waste generation [18].
MSW prevention is one of the first and important stages of the waste management system, aimed at reducing the volume of waste at the outset. Waste prevention is achieved by reducing the total amount of waste generated and reducing its toxicity. To reduce the amount of waste, a recycling system is implemented and must be legally enshrined. For example, Germany has a circular economy law requiring producers to achieve zero-waste production and, if it is not possible, the waste must be recycled as a material or energy input. Thus, there is an increased stimulus to use recyclable materials such as cardboard, paper and aluminum foil for packaging.
MSW Re-Use means any action whereby products or components that are not waste are reused within the same purpose that they were intended for.
MSW Recycling has a significant role in integrated MSW management and provides new sources of energy, reduces the use of natural resources and prevents landfilling.
MSW Recovery either involves thermal incineration at waste incineration plants (incinerators) or waste disposal at environmentally secure landfills. Some MSW cannot be recycled via any currently known method (this is called residual waste), and has to be incinerated or disposed at landfills. Incineration plants also provide supplementary energy during the disposal process.
MSW Landfilling is ranked last in the MSW management system, but still remains as a necessary disposal source for non-recyclable wastes. Such wastes comprise incombustible or incinerated components with large toxic emissions that cannot be captured or require unknown or too expensive air emission treatment systems.
Within such an integrated approach towards MSW management, an essential item at any level is segregation as a way of separating hazardous and valuable substances away from MSW.

3. Methods of MSW Management

MSW management as an integrated item of the overall system of public administration is based on the main interrelated management approaches including organizational, educational, economic, technological, informational and legislative (Table 2).
Table 2. Methods of MSW Management.
Method Description
Organizational Creation of governance, production and monitoring frameworks
Educational A range of measures for achieving the required level of community environmental culture and the professional education of specialists
Economic Encouraging businesses to become greener, to use natural resources rationally, and to reduce the generation of waste
Technological Identifying or establishing instruments and procedures for the environmentally sound production and sustainable waste management
Informational Creation of a waste database, a system of waste accounting, collection and disposal, and the ecological condition of territories
Legislative Preparation of legislation, policy, instructional and regulatory documents defining standards and regulations for waste management
The basis of any management system is the organizational and legal framework that defines the algorithm of activities in waste management.
The information and educational framework should provide the necessary information comprehensiveness to make well-grounded managerial and production solutions.
One of the most important instruments of waste management is economic regulation methods, in which pollution fees serve as a management lever. Pollution fees are a compensation of economic damage from emissions and discharges of pollutants into the environment, as well as waste disposal on the state territory. To implement an economic motivation in waste management benefits may be provided, for example: preferential payments for waste disposal while using new technologies that provide waste reduction; and establishment of credit benefits for individuals and companies engaged in waste management activities.
The technological framework includes selection of the best and innovative techniques for waste collection, sorting and recycling, which are required for sustainable waste management.

This entry is adapted from the peer-reviewed paper 10.3390/su15032012

References

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  3. Velenturf, A.P.M.; Purnell, P.; Tregent, M.; Ferguson, J.; Holmes, A. Co-Producing a Vision and Approach for the Transition towards a Circular Economy: Perspectives from Government Partners. Sustainability 2018, 10, 1401.
  4. Nicolini, E. The Circularity of MSW in Urban Landscapes: An Evaluation Method for a Sustainable System Implementation. Sustainability 2022, 14, 7358.
  5. Lewandowska, A. Economics of waste management in Poland in the context of regional ecologization as exemplified by Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodship. Electron. J. Pol. Agric. Univ. 2018, 21. Available online: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323120646_ECONOMICS_OF_WASTE_MANAGEMENT_IN_POLAND_IN_THE_CONTEXT_OF_REGIONAL_ECOLOGIZATION_AS_EXEMPLIFIED_BY_KUJAWSKO-POMORSKIE_VOIVODSHIP (accessed on 15 November 2022).
  6. Lynch, D.; Kupper, F.; Broerse, J. Toward a Socially Desirable EU Research and Innovation Agenda on Urban Waste: A Transnational EU Citizen Consultation. Sustainability 2018, 10, 1641.
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  8. Intharathirat, R.; Abdul Salam, P. Analytical hierarchy process-based decision making for sustainable MSW management systems in small and medium cities. In Sustainable Waste Management: Policies and Case Studies; Ghosh, S., Ed.; Springer: Singapore, 2020.
  9. Jones, S.M. Waste management: A policy paradox. In Advancing a Circular Economy; Palgrave Pivot: Cham, Switzerland, 2021.
  10. Menon, V.J.; Palackal, A. Centralized and decentralized approaches to solid waste management—A case study. Holist. Approach Environ. 2022, 12, 155–164.
  11. Ali, S.A.; Parvin, F. Examining challenges and multi-strategic approaches in waste management during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. Waste Manag. Res. 2022, 40, 1356–1380.
  12. Khumarova, N.; Krivenceva, A. A Complex Systems Approaches to Sustainable Waste Management: The Case of a Recreational and Tourist Region of Ukraine. Econ. Ecol. Socium. 2022, 6, 1–10.
  13. Bugge, M.M.; Fevolden, A.M.; Klitkou, A. Governance for system optimization and system change: The case of urban waste. Res. Policy 2019, 48, 1076–1090.
  14. Taelman, S.E.; Tonini, D.; Wandl, A.; Dewulf, J. A Holistic Sustainability Framework for Waste Management in European Cities: Concept Development. Sustainability 2018, 10, 2184.
  15. Chien, C.; Aviso, K.; Tseng, M.; Fujii, M.; Lim, M. Solid waste management in emerging economies: Opportunities and challenges for reuse and recycling. Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 2023, 188, 106635.
  16. Bozhikin, I.; Gechev, R.; Dentchev, N. Environmental fiscal policy and other instruments for sustainable and efficient municipal solid waste management: A comparative study of Belgium and Bulgaria. Waste Manag. 2017, 65, I.
  17. Jones, S.M. Waste management in Norway. In Advancing a Circular Economy; Palgrave Pivot: Cham, Switzerland, 2021.
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