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Expansion of the Waste-Based Commodity Frontier: Insights from Sweden and Brazil

Gutberlet, Jutta ; Bramryd, Torleif LU and Johansson, Michael LU orcid (2020) In Sustainability 12(7). p.1-15
Abstract
Waste is a valuable commodity and remains a livelihood source for waste pickers in the global South. Waste to Energy (WtoE) is often described as alternative to landfilling, as it provides cheap fuel while making waste disappear. In some European cities, this method has evolved into an impediment, slowing down the adoption of more sustainable technologies and waste prevention. These plants typically strain municipal budgets and provide fewer jobs than recycling and composting, thereby inhibiting the development of small-scale local recycling businesses. We applied the idea of ‘waste regime’ with an interdisciplinary and situated lens to provide insights to the following questions: How do different political developments in Brazil and... (More)
Waste is a valuable commodity and remains a livelihood source for waste pickers in the global South. Waste to Energy (WtoE) is often described as alternative to landfilling, as it provides cheap fuel while making waste disappear. In some European cities, this method has evolved into an impediment, slowing down the adoption of more sustainable technologies and waste prevention. These plants typically strain municipal budgets and provide fewer jobs than recycling and composting, thereby inhibiting the development of small-scale local recycling businesses. We applied the idea of ‘waste regime’ with an interdisciplinary and situated lens to provide insights to the following questions: How do different political developments in Brazil and Sweden, frame and reframe waste incineration and energy recovery, in the context of sustainability and waste management on local, regional and national levels? What forms of resistance against WtoE exist and what are the arguments of these protagonists? We evaluated the impact of WtoE and compare it with other waste management options with regard to CO 2 balances and general environmental and social impacts. We conclude by suggesting more socially and environmentally appropriate ways of waste management, particularly for the context of global South cities.
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Sustainability
volume
12
issue
7
article number
2628
pages
1 - 15
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85083591789
ISSN
2071-1050
DOI
10.3390/su12072628
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a298c876-7d8f-431e-b34f-3d79a33e6a44
date added to LUP
2020-04-02 21:09:10
date last changed
2022-12-23 21:29:14
@article{a298c876-7d8f-431e-b34f-3d79a33e6a44,
  abstract     = {{Waste is a valuable commodity and remains a livelihood source for waste pickers in the global South. Waste to Energy (WtoE) is often described as alternative to landfilling, as it provides cheap fuel while making waste disappear. In some European cities, this method has evolved into an impediment, slowing down the adoption of more sustainable technologies and waste prevention. These plants typically strain municipal budgets and provide fewer jobs than recycling and composting, thereby inhibiting the development of small-scale local recycling businesses. We applied the idea of ‘waste regime’ with an interdisciplinary and situated lens to provide insights to the following questions: How do different political developments in Brazil and Sweden, frame and reframe waste incineration and energy recovery, in the context of sustainability and waste management on local, regional and national levels? What forms of resistance against WtoE exist and what are the arguments of these protagonists? We evaluated the impact of WtoE and compare it with other waste management options with regard to CO 2 balances and general environmental and social impacts. We conclude by suggesting more socially and environmentally appropriate ways of waste management, particularly for the context of global South cities.<br/>}},
  author       = {{Gutberlet, Jutta and Bramryd, Torleif and Johansson, Michael}},
  issn         = {{2071-1050}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{1--15}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Sustainability}},
  title        = {{Expansion of the Waste-Based Commodity Frontier: Insights from Sweden and Brazil}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su12072628}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/su12072628}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}