Journal: Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances

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Publisher

Elsevier

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ISSN

2667-3789

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2023 - 20253
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Publications1 - 3 of 3
  • Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste in Sub-Saharan Africa via sustainable waste management: An economic benefit assessment
    Item type: Journal Article
    Longfor, Nkweauseh Reginald; Aduba, Joseph Jr.; Istrate, Ioan-Robert; et al. (2023)
    Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances
    Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is a major challenge for cities worldwide, particularly in Africa. This study used an emission-reduction framework to assess the economic benefit of sustainable MSW management in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) over a 60-year period (2000–2060). Two waste-to-energy (WTE) methods, sanitary landfills and anaerobic digestion, were used to assess the potential electricity generation from MSW under four waste collection scenarios. The assessment was compared to the potential economic damage from cumulative methane (CH4) emissions under business-as-usual waste management practices for the same period. The results show that energy recovery from current MSW generation forecasts can contribute to 100–245 kWh per capita electricity generation between 2025 and 2060, depending on the WTE technology employed. The net present value (NPV) of WTE technologies is less than half the dollar cost of the potential economic damage from methane emissions. These results have significant policy implications for increasing access to sustainable and clean energy in SSA countries. Given that the current average per capita electricity generation in SSA is 158 kWh and that several countries in the area are experiencing energy problems, MSW electricity generation offers untapped economic development prospects. These findings highlight the economic advantages of effective waste management in SSA to mitigate future environmental and climate change consequences of greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, this study underscores the need for stakeholders to develop cost-effective and sustainable waste management strategies to avoid possible future economic and environmental damage in SSA.
  • From circular strategies to actions: 65 European circular building cases and their decarbonisation potential
    Item type: Journal Article
    Nußholz, Julia; Çetin, Sultan; Eberhardt, Leonora; et al. (2023)
    Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances
    The application of the circular economy (CE) in the building industry is critical for achieving the carbon reduction goals defined in the Paris Agreement and is increasingly promoted through European policies. In recent years, CE strategies have been applied and tested in numerous building projects in practice. However, insights into their application and decarbonisation potential are limited. This study analysed and visualised 65 novel real-world cases of new build, renovation, and demolition projects in Europe compiled from academic and grey literature. Cases were analysed regarding the circular solution applied, level of application in buildings, and decarbonisation potential reported, making this study one of the first comprehensive studies on the application and decarbonisation potential of circular strategies in the building industry in practice. The identified challenges of using LCA for CE assessment in buildings are discussed and methodological approaches for future research are suggested.
  • Willingness to pay for and economic feasibility of solid waste management in Cape Maclear, Malawi
    Item type: Journal Article
    Abgottspon, Elena; Freihardt, Jan; Tkaczuk, Jakub; et al. (2025)
    Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances
    Improving solid waste management (SWM) can better public health locally and mitigate climate change globally. However, it requires thorough financing and business models. This study assessed the willingness to pay (WTP) of four stakeholder groups in the village Cape Maclear, Malawi, using the double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method as well as direct questions. Households (N 259) would be willing to pay an average of MWK 1507 (USD 0.90) per month if they did not have to separate their waste themselves, as opposed to MWK 899 (USD 0.54) per month if they had to separate their waste at the collection point. Lodges were willing to pay USD 13.00 per month for their own waste management and an additional USD 4.22 for public waste removal. The WTP of businesses was assumed to be zero due to an unrepresentative sample. Tourists were found to have an average WTP of USD 1.75 per day. We recommend a sustainable business model based on all cost and revenue streams of the system. Thereby, tourists show the greatest potential. Nevertheless, it is recommended to make the monthly operation of the system independent from external sources, but to use these sources for long-term investments and infrastructure improvements.
Publications1 - 3 of 3