Waste Management (Recycling and Minimisation)

CONTEXT

The growth of the production of urban waste is directly related to cyclical factors like demographic growth, the increase in the supply of products and consumer goods, improvements in quality of life and per capita income, the increase of per person consumption, the supply of single-use packaging products and easy access to products from all over the world.

Industries and companies, in addition to facilities, are major consumers of products and goods, so they are classified as massive waste generators. Increases in waste and its poor management lead to dumping at landfills and bodies of water, where many years may pass before the waste decomposes. Consequently, when waste is poorly managed, it may lead to the destruction and limitation of natural resources, contamination, bad odours, infestations and diseases.

The improvement of waste management at facilities, in addition to affecting environmental savings and quality of life, also produces economic savings and reduced spending. Therefore, the minimisation of waste is presented as a preventive strategy, which is feasible in any scope of action, where the waste generated at the source can be reduced. It can be achieved by reducing the acquisition of products; by reusing waste products; and/or by recycling possible waste, giving it a second lease of life. The final option, when all the minimisation processes have been exhausted, is the selective collection of waste.

OBJECTIVE

Minimise the production of waste by reducing the acquisition of products, reusing waste and recycling materials and products.
Reduce the concentration of environmental contaminants and their consequent diseases by efficiently managing consumption and disposal.

PROPOSALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Identify the types and quantities of waste generated at the facility, such as paper and cardboard, plastic, glass, wood, organic material, food waste, textile waste and hazardous waste.
Identify the source of each type of waste, that is, determine where it is generated: in the office, at reception and in the public area, in the kitchen, in the cleaning services, in the external areas.
Implement a Waste Minimisation Plan (WMP), establishing a set of measures to prevent or reduce the generation of waste and even to reduce the quantity of toxic components it contains.
Implement a consumption reduction strategy in accordance with the identified waste patterns, by means of which the consumption of packaging can be reduced by employing bulk purchasing; avoid purchasing products with several layers of packaging; avoid the supply and consumption of disposable products; and reduce printing and print on both sides.
Foster the reuse of products through the maintenance and repair of electric devices; the repair of furniture and broken accessories; the reuse of recipients and articles; the purchase of products made with recycled materials; and the donation of materials, articles and furniture that are in good condition to other companies and organisations.
Provide incentives for the recycling of types of non-reusable waste: foster the upcycling of components and materials, that is, convert them into new, better quality materials and/or materials with a greater environmental value; contract authorised companies for the collection and recycling of waste; and use composters to produce organic fertiliser.
If necessary, design new administrative processes or modify existing ones in order to minimise the generation of waste in different scopes (reduction, reuse, recycling).
Monitor and record ongoing progress towards the objectives and strategies of the WMP in order to assess the compliance of the actions, determine what needs to be improved and visualise economic savings.

REFERENCE EXPERIENCES

Information only available in Catalan

Diputació de Barcelona. "Cercle Comparació Intermunicipal de gestió de Residus i Neteja Viària".
Àrea metropolitana de Barcelona. "Millor Que Nou, 100% Vell".
Barcelona Ajuntament + Sostenible. “A l´ajuntament com a casa. Redueix els residus”.
Ajuntament de Barcelona. “Sistema de vending de la UAB. Consum responsable”.

LEGISLATION

Decret Legislatiu 1/2009, de 21 de juliol, pel qual s'aprova el text refós de la llei reguladora dels residus de Catalunya.
Ley 22/2011, de 28 de julio, de residuos y suelos contaminados.