Approach to assess the performance of waste management systems towards a circular economy: waste management system development stage concept (WMS-DSC)

Alessio Campitelli; Jan Kannengießer; Liselotte Schebek

doi:10.1016/j.mex.2022.101634

Approach to assess the performance of waste management systems towards a circular economy: waste management system development stage concept (WMS-DSC)

MethodsX. 2022 Feb 17:9:101634. doi: 10.1016/j.mex.2022.101634. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Alessio Campitelli¹, Jan Kannengießer¹, Liselotte Schebek¹

Affiliation

¹ Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute IWAR, Department of Material Flow Management and Resource Economy, Franziska-Braun-Straße 7 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.

Abstract

In this paper a novel holistic approach to assess the performance of waste management systems (WMSs) is presented. The so called WMS development stage concept (WMS-DSC) can be used by practitioners or decision makers to assess primarily the WMS at the municipal level. The WMS categorization into development stages notably enables a clear identification of symptoms, the causes of possible waste mismanagement and potential measures for improvement. The concept can be used to (i) assess the status quo of a WMS and, based on this, identify possible measures for implementation; (ii) check whether relevant system conditions to implement a specific measure are met; (iii) monitor the progress of a WMS; and (iv) compare the WMSs of different cities. The concept consists of five development stages: stage 1 - absence or lack of essential elements of waste management; stage 2 - reliable collection and improved landfill sites; stage 3 - separate collection and sorting; stage 4 - expansion of the recycling industry; and stage 5 - circular economy (CE), waste as a resource. While stage 1 describes the absence of or a very immature and malfunctioning WMS, stage 5 stands for a fully implemented CE. By equating the highest stage to the objectives that have evolved today globally for a sustainable CE, this concept can be used to identify targets and the most suitable steps for an individual WMS towards a future best practice of CE.•A holistic approach to assess waste management systems' performance is presented.•A benchmarking tool to estimate the circular economy (CE) evolvement in cities.•Usable for cities both in the Global North and South to identify CE potentials.

Keywords: Benchmark; CE, Circular economy; CMUR, Circular material use rate; CT, Collection and transport; DR, Diversion rates; DTT, Distance-to-target; ER, Energy recovery; EU, European Union; G, Governance; MSW, Municipal solid waste; PR, Prevention and reuse; RDF, Refuse-derived fuels; SDG, Sustainable development goal; SM, Sector and market; UN, United Nations; WD, Waste disposal; WM, Waste management; WMS-DSC, WMS development stage concept; WMSs, Waste management systems; WR, Waste recycling; ZWI, Zero-Waste-Index; comp., Company; developing countries; global north; global south; holistic; leapfrogging; monitoring; mun., Municipal; municipal solid waste; nat., National; reg., Regional.