Author | Tania AlonsoBad waste management contributes to the contamination of oceans and forests, the transmission of diseases and the accelerated emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. According to the World Bank indicators, economic and population growth will cause waste generation to increase by 70% over the next 30 years. This will be felt, particularly, in cities.The 4R (reduce, reuse, recycle and recover) are becoming increasingly important on the political agendas of cities around the world. However, it is not enough. We have analysed what we are doing correctly and what we are doing incorrectly when recycling waste.
A new life
Effective management does not just involve separating waste for subsequent elimination. The ultimate aim is, with some exceptions, to give a new use to materials. Normally waste is separated in different containers. From here, it goes to selection plants that send the waste off to recycling companies in charge of transforming the waste into new products.
Circular economy, Zero Waste initiatives and other solutions
In Jordan, the coastal city of Aqaba, the circular economy approach is being applied to convert waste into opportunities. The city generates around 150 tonnes of solid waste per day, therefore a project (endorsed by the UN and the EU) undertook to reduce these figures. The first line of action was to boost recycling and optimise resources in hotels. The activity generated from the recycling system has also created jobs for members of vulnerable communities.There are also some noteworthy initiatives in Nordic countries. In 2017, the Swedish government reformed the tax system to reduce the price of repairing used items. The country also has a system in place that enables money to be recovered by returning empty cans and bottles. This allows 1,800 million units to be recycled each year.