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Promoting Circular Economy in Cities of the Global South through Assessment of Waste Management Systems: The Case of Marrakech (Morocco)

Campitelli, Alessio (2022)
Promoting Circular Economy in Cities of the Global South through Assessment of Waste Management Systems: The Case of Marrakech (Morocco).
Technische Universität Darmstadt
doi: 10.26083/tuprints-00021094
Ph.D. Thesis, Primary publication, Publisher's Version

Abstract

A functioning waste management system (WMS) is essential for a good quality of life, a clean environment and the conservation of natural resources. However, the WMS quality can vary widely from country to country. Many countries of the Global South do not have a functioning WMS. The reasons for this are manifold (e.g., lack of political will, lack of financial resources, poverty). In these countries, generated waste is mainly managed in a linear way, means discarded in open dumps or landfills or even openly burned. However, some countries are making efforts to promote a circular economy (CE) in their respective territories, which, in contrast to linear waste management, aims to close loops through recycling.

The aim of this work is to develop a method to assess the CE status of urban WMSs, especially in the context of the Global South. This method should help to identify CE potentials in a structured manner by evaluating existing framework conditions and, based on this, deriving concrete recommendations for action. To achieve this, an assessment tool (WMS – development stage concept, WMS-DSC) was developed. It is based on five development stages with stage 1 representing a WMS with the absence of essential waste management (WM) elements and stage 5 exemplifying a functioning CE.

Morocco, as a Global South country, has already launched strategies and programs in the past to bring their WM to a better standard and establish a basis for a CE. However, it is not clear whether current efforts will be sufficient to establish a CE in the future. With the aid of the WMS-DSC, this will be assessable. The WMS-DSC was tested and validated using the Moroccan city of Marrakech as an example.

The results of the WMS-DSC analysis show that, depending on the system components, the development stages of Marrakech vary from stage 1 to stage 4, with stage 2 and stage 3 being dominant for the following components: governance, sector and market, and waste disposal. The least developed components are waste recycling and energy recovery. The results show that Marrakech is still far from establishing a functioning CE. However, the different categorizations show that certain components (e.g., governance and waste disposal) were promoted in the past by politics more than others (e.g., waste recycling). In addition, it becomes clear what additional work is needed for numerous system components (e.g., waste recycling, waste collection, and waste prevention).

Based on these results, measures were derived in a subsequent step to promote a CE in Marrakech. All in all, 33 measures were identified and categorized into four clusters. These clusters comprise the increase of the collection rate and the separate collection of waste (cluster A), improve the control, regulation, monitoring and assessment of WMS (cluster B), promote the closing of the loop in Marrakech (cluster C) and encourage the cooperation between research, companies and society (cluster E). The holistic view of the WMS and the strong interconnection between the system and other system subcomponents and stakeholders (e.g., ministries, administration, companies, market) mean that not all measures are directly intended for the city of Marrakech, but some address higher levels (e.g., national and regional) as well as the company level. The results from this work can be directly integrated into WM related action plans, master plans or WM plans at the municipal level as well as at higher levels.

In conclusion, the case study validated the WMS-DSC and demonstrated its added value for WMS analysis in cities of the Global South by assessing the various facets of Marrakech's WMS, identifying areas for improvement, and deriving specific recommendations for action.

Item Type: Ph.D. Thesis
Erschienen: 2022
Creators: Campitelli, Alessio
Type of entry: Primary publication
Title: Promoting Circular Economy in Cities of the Global South through Assessment of Waste Management Systems: The Case of Marrakech (Morocco)
Language: English
Referees: Schebek, Prof. Dr. Liselotte ; Bockreis, Prof. Dr. Anke
Date: 2022
Place of Publication: Darmstadt
Collation: 137 Seiten in verschiedenen Seitenzählungen
Refereed: 21 June 2022
DOI: 10.26083/tuprints-00021094
URL / URN: https://tuprints.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/21094
Abstract:

A functioning waste management system (WMS) is essential for a good quality of life, a clean environment and the conservation of natural resources. However, the WMS quality can vary widely from country to country. Many countries of the Global South do not have a functioning WMS. The reasons for this are manifold (e.g., lack of political will, lack of financial resources, poverty). In these countries, generated waste is mainly managed in a linear way, means discarded in open dumps or landfills or even openly burned. However, some countries are making efforts to promote a circular economy (CE) in their respective territories, which, in contrast to linear waste management, aims to close loops through recycling.

The aim of this work is to develop a method to assess the CE status of urban WMSs, especially in the context of the Global South. This method should help to identify CE potentials in a structured manner by evaluating existing framework conditions and, based on this, deriving concrete recommendations for action. To achieve this, an assessment tool (WMS – development stage concept, WMS-DSC) was developed. It is based on five development stages with stage 1 representing a WMS with the absence of essential waste management (WM) elements and stage 5 exemplifying a functioning CE.

Morocco, as a Global South country, has already launched strategies and programs in the past to bring their WM to a better standard and establish a basis for a CE. However, it is not clear whether current efforts will be sufficient to establish a CE in the future. With the aid of the WMS-DSC, this will be assessable. The WMS-DSC was tested and validated using the Moroccan city of Marrakech as an example.

The results of the WMS-DSC analysis show that, depending on the system components, the development stages of Marrakech vary from stage 1 to stage 4, with stage 2 and stage 3 being dominant for the following components: governance, sector and market, and waste disposal. The least developed components are waste recycling and energy recovery. The results show that Marrakech is still far from establishing a functioning CE. However, the different categorizations show that certain components (e.g., governance and waste disposal) were promoted in the past by politics more than others (e.g., waste recycling). In addition, it becomes clear what additional work is needed for numerous system components (e.g., waste recycling, waste collection, and waste prevention).

Based on these results, measures were derived in a subsequent step to promote a CE in Marrakech. All in all, 33 measures were identified and categorized into four clusters. These clusters comprise the increase of the collection rate and the separate collection of waste (cluster A), improve the control, regulation, monitoring and assessment of WMS (cluster B), promote the closing of the loop in Marrakech (cluster C) and encourage the cooperation between research, companies and society (cluster E). The holistic view of the WMS and the strong interconnection between the system and other system subcomponents and stakeholders (e.g., ministries, administration, companies, market) mean that not all measures are directly intended for the city of Marrakech, but some address higher levels (e.g., national and regional) as well as the company level. The results from this work can be directly integrated into WM related action plans, master plans or WM plans at the municipal level as well as at higher levels.

In conclusion, the case study validated the WMS-DSC and demonstrated its added value for WMS analysis in cities of the Global South by assessing the various facets of Marrakech's WMS, identifying areas for improvement, and deriving specific recommendations for action.

Alternative Abstract:
Alternative abstract Language

Ein funktionierendes Abfallwirtschaftssystem (AWS) ist unabdingbar für eine gute Lebensqualität, eine saubere Umwelt und die Schonung natürlicher Ressourcen. Allerdings kann die Qualität des AWS von Land zu Land stark variieren. Viele Länder des globalen Südens wie bspw. in Afrika haben kein funktionierendes AWS. Die Gründe hierfür sind vielfältig (wie z.B. fehlender politischer Wille, Mangel an finanziellen Ressourcen, Armut). Abfälle werden in diesen Ländern überwiegend in Form einer linearen Abfallwirtschaft nach Entstehung auf Müllkippen oder Deponien entsorgt oder sogar offen verbrannt. Jedoch unternehmen einige Länder Anstrengungen, um eine Kreislaufwirtschaft (Circular Economy, CE), die im Gegensatz zur linearen Abfallwirtschaft eine Schließung von Kreisläufen durch bspw. Recycling beabsichtigt, in ihrem Land zu fördern.

Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, eine Methode zu entwickeln, die es ermöglicht den CE Zustand von urbanen AWS v.a. im Kontext des Globalen Südens zu bewerten. Diese Methode soll dazu beitragen, CE-Potenziale strukturiert zu identifizieren, indem bestehende Rahmenbedingungen bewertet und basierend darauf konkrete Maßnahmen abgeleitet werden. Hierfür wurde ein 5-stufiges Bewertungskonzept (waste management system – development stage concept, WMS-DSC) entwickelt. Während Stufe 1 ein AWS ohne grundlegende abfallwirtschaftliche Elemente darstellt, repräsentiert Stufe 5 eine funktionierende CE.

Marokko, als Beispiel für ein Land des Globalen Südens, hat in der Vergangenheit bereits Strategien und Programme ins Leben gerufen, um ihre Abfallwirtschaft auf einen besseren Standard zu bringen und eine Grundlage für eine CE zu schaffen. Jedoch ist nicht klar, ob die aktuellen Anstrengungen ausreichen werden, um zukünftig eine CE zu etablieren. Mithilfe des WMC-DSC soll dies bewertet werden können. Das WMS-DSC wurde am Beispiel der marokkanischen Stadt Marrakesch erprobt und damit einhergehend validiert.

Die Ergebnisse der WMS-DSC Analyse zeigen, dass in Marrakesch die Entwicklungsstufen je nach Systemkomponente zwischen Stufe 1 und Stufe 4 variieren können, wobei die Stufe 2 und Stufe 3 bei den Komponenten Governance, Sektor und Markt sowie Abfallbeseitigung vorherrschen. Die am wenigsten entwickelten Komponenten sind die des Abfallrecyclings und der Energierückgewinnung. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Marrakesch noch weit von einer funktionierenden CE entfernt ist. Jedoch ist ebenfalls ersichtlich, dass bestimmte Komponenten (z.B. Governance, Abfallbeseitigung) in der Vergangenheit stärker von der Politik gefördert wurden als bspw. das Abfallrecycling. Zudem konnten anhand der Ergebnisse des WMS-DSC konkrete Verbesserungspotenziale für diverse Systemkomponenten (z.B. Abfallsammlung, Abfallrecycling, Abfallvermeidung) identifiziert werden.

Auf Grundlage dieser Ergebnisse wurden in einem weiteren Schritt Maßnahmen zur Förderung einer CE in Marrakesch abgeleitet. Insgesamt wurden 33 Maßnahmen identifiziert, welche in vier Cluster eingeteilt wurden. Die Cluster umfassen dabei die Erhöhung der Sammelquote und getrennte Abfallsammlung (Cluster A), die Optimierung der Kontrolle, Regulierung, Überwachung und Bewertung des AWS (Cluster B), die Förderung der Kreislaufschließung in Marrakesch (Cluster C) und die Förderung der Zusammenarbeit zwischen Forschung, Unternehmen und Gesellschaft (Cluster D).

Die ganzheitliche Betrachtung des AWSs und die starke Vernetzung des Systems mit anderen Subkomponenten und Stakeholdern (z.B. Ministerien, Institutionen, Unternehmen, Märkte, etc.) führen dazu, dass nicht alle Maßnahmen direkt für die Stadt Marrakesch bestimmt sind, sondern auch übergeordnete Ebenen (z.B. national, regional) sowie die Unternehmensebene ansprechen. Die Maßnahmen dieser Arbeit können direkt in abfallbezogene Aktionspläne, Masterpläne oder Abfallwirtschaftspläne auf kommunaler sowie übergeordneter Ebene integriert werden.

Insgesamt konnte anhand der Fallstudie das WMS-DSC validiert und dessen Mehrwert für die Analyse der AWS in Städten des Globalen Südens demonstriert werden, indem die verschiedenen Facetten des AWS von Marrakesch bewertet, Verbesserungspotenziale identifiziert und konkrete Handlungsempfehlungen abgeleitet wurden.

German
Uncontrolled Keywords: Waste Management Systems, Circular Economy, Morocco, Global South, Developing Countries, Benchmarking, Abfallwirtschaftssystem, Kreislaufwirtschaft, Marokko, Globaler Süden, Entwicklungsland
Status: Publisher's Version
URN: urn:nbn:de:tuda-tuprints-210942
Classification DDC: 600 Technology, medicine, applied sciences > 620 Engineering and machine engineering
Divisions: 13 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Sciences
13 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Sciences > Institute IWAR
13 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Sciences > Institute IWAR > Material Flow Management and Resource Economy
TU-Projects: DLR|01DG17011|Trans4Biotec
Date Deposited: 06 Jul 2022 13:16
Last Modified: 07 Jul 2022 05:42
PPN:
Referees: Schebek, Prof. Dr. Liselotte ; Bockreis, Prof. Dr. Anke
Refereed / Verteidigung / mdl. Prüfung: 21 June 2022
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