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Hanan, Deirdre Beauclerc
(2012).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21954/ou.ro.0000ee38
Abstract
Waste management generally, and paper waste specifically, are important issues. The problems finding suitable landfill sites and the legislative and environmental needs for alternatives to landfill make research into this field important. Isolated communities have specific issues related to the treatment of waste. Available sites for landfill are limited, the community is often economically dependent on tourism and local alternatives to landfill are limited, whilst transport across the barrier is expensive.
The aims of the research were to find the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) for paper waste management in isolated communities and to produce a tool that could be used by other areas to assess their own paper waste management practices.
During this research, three geographically isolated areas were chosen as study areas and the financial, environmental and legislative aspects of the current household waste management systems were examined. A financial model was produced and used in the case study areas. The environmental emissions were modelled by the use of WRATE, a Life Cycle Analysis programme developed by the Environment Agency for England and Wales. The financial, legislative and environmental impacts social factors of the six scenarios were examined by a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis workshop consisting of residents from one of the case study areas.
The conclusions of the research were that:
• MCDA can be used to combine LCA, financial, legislative and social information to assist in determining BPEO for managing waste in isolated communities,
• The use of the MCDA panel allowed the local community to be involved in the decision-making process,
• Isolated communities have specific issues in regard to waste management,
• The research tool was valuable in finding the most sustainable paper waste management solution for the area,
• Local solutions are to be preferred financially, environmentally and socially although local or national taxes can distort the financial position.
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)
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