abstract
Separate collection of packaging waste (glass; plastic/metals; paper/cardboard), is currently a widespread practice throughout Europe. It enables the recovery of good quality recyclable materials. However, separate collection performance are quite heterogeneous, with some countries reaching higher levels than others. In the present work, separate collection of packaging waste has been evaluated in a low performance recycling region in Portugal in order to investigate which factors are most affecting the performance in bring-bank collection system. The variability of separate collection yields (kg per inhabitant per year) among 42 municipalities was scrutinized for the year 2015 against possible explanatory factors. A total of 14 possible explanatory factors were analysed, falling into two groups: socio-economic/demographic and waste collection service related. Regression models were built in an attempt to evaluate the individual effect of each factor on separate collection yields and predict changes on the collection yields by acting on those factors. The best model obtained is capable to explain 73% of the variation found in the separate collection yields. The model includes the following statistically significant indicators affecting the success of separate collection yields: i) inhabitants per bring-bank; ii) relative accessibility to bring-banks; iii) degree of urbanization; iv) number of school years attended; and v) area. The model presented in this work was developed specifically for the bring-bank system, has an explanatory power and quantifies the impact of each factor on separate collection yields. It can therefore be used as a support tool by local and regional waste management authorities in the definition of future strategies to increase collection of recyclables of good quality and to achieve national and regional targets. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
keywords
SORTED HOUSEHOLD WASTE; SYSTEMS; COSTS; SPAIN
subject category
Environmental Sciences & Ecology
authors
Oliveira, V; Sousa, V; Vaz, JM; Dias-Ferreira, C
our authors
Célia Maria Dias Ferreira
Post-Doc Fellowship
Verónica Oliveira
PhD StudentGroups
acknowledgements
C. Dias-Ferreira gratefully acknowledges FCT - Fundacao para a Ciencia e para a Tecnologia for financial support (SFRH/BPD/100717/2014).