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EPR Reference Database

Publication type: Academic Journal Article

Rethinking waste and resource management for underserved communities

Abstract/summary

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is a basic service, yet over 2.7 billion people still lack access to collection, and 40% of collected MSW is open dumped or burned. This global waste emergency has severe local and global impacts ? extending services to all would reduce macroplastic dispersal to the environment by ~80% and mitigate climate heating. We use our nine development bands (9DBs) framework to rethink how to extend services to underserved communities at pace and at scale. Funding needs to target community-up operator models and no regret investments. Win5 benefits include community services, reduced disease outbreaks, more sustainable livelihoods, reduced MSW quantities and management costs, and reduced local and global environment impacts. Cities can transition earlier to more circular, integrated, waste and resource management (WaRM). Separating (wet) organic wastes from (dry) recyclable materials at source unlocks markets for both. A blend of financing is needed, from national and city sources, resource revenues, disposal pricing, extended producer responsibility (EPR) and international development (including climate and plastics) finance. New multi-lateral impact funds need to target extension of services to underserved communities.

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Author(s)
Andrew D. Whiteman
Nicole Hennessy
David C. Wilson
Journal
Oxford Development Studies
Year
2025
Pages
1-17
DOI
10.1080/13600818.2025.2473957
URL
https://doi.org/10.1080/13600818.2025.2473957
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