Share:


Municipal waste management in Romania in the context of the EU. A stakeholders’ perspective

    Carmen Nastase   Affiliation
    ; Carmen Emilia Chașovschi   Affiliation
    ; Mihaela State   Affiliation
    ; Adrian-Liviu Scutariu   Affiliation

Abstract

The European waste policy is focused on reducing the negative impact of waste, eliminating the unhealthy use of resources, and on better waste management. The aim of this paper is to analyse Romania’s waste management practices in the EU context. The research methodology is based on a quantitative and qualitative analysis. The descriptive data analysis reveals significant differences among EU countries in terms of the municipal waste generated and the recycling rate. The municipal waste generated registers decrease, whereas there are significant increases in terms of the recycling rates in the EU countries. The qualitative research is based on the analysis of structured interviews among stakeholders, relevant for the waste management in Romania. The information obtained based on interviews was processed using NVivo and the main findings are focused on recommendations for improving the waste management system. We have identified a lack of adequate public support in the waste field due to insufficient awareness programs, lack of operator’s obligation for separate waste sanitation, people's discouragement to separate their household waste, and lack of bins to separate collection. The correction of identified weaknesses could lead to an improved waste management system, feasible only through an active involvement of stakeholders.


First published online 28 May 2019

Keyword : community-based initiative, sustainable economy, municipal waste management, recycle, household consumption, policy recommendations, stakeholders’ perception

How to Cite
Nastase, C., Chașovschi, C. E., State, M., & Scutariu, A.-L. (2019). Municipal waste management in Romania in the context of the EU. A stakeholders’ perspective. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 25(5), 850-876. https://doi.org/10.3846/tede.2019.10295
Published in Issue
May 28, 2019
Abstract Views
1726
PDF Downloads
2707
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Administrația Fondului pentru Mediu. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.afm.ro

Agenția Națională pentru Protecția Mediului. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.anpm.ro

Albu, A. (2017) Industrial symbiosis: An innovative tool for promoting green growth. In W. Leal Filho, D. M. Pociovalisteanu, & A. Q. Al-Amin (Eds.), Sustainable economic development – green economy and green growth (pp. 1-29). World Sustainability Series. Switzerland, Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45081-0_1

Almași, A. M. (2013). Municipal waste management in Romania. European Environment Agency (EEA) under its 2012 work programme as a contribution to the EEA’s work on waste implementation. Retrieved from www.eea.europa.eu/publications

Al-Salem, S. M., Lettieri, P., & Baeyens, J. (2009). Recycling and recovery routes of plastic solid waste (PSW): A review. Waste Management, 29(10), 2625-2643. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2009.06.004

Bartelings, H., van Beukering, P., Kuik, O., Linderhof, V., & Oosterhuis, F. (2005). Effectiveness of landfill taxation. The Netherlands, Amsterdam: Institute for Environmental Studies. Retrieved from http://www.ivm.vu.nl/en/Images/Effective_landfill_R05-05_tcm53-102678_tcm234-103947.pdf

Becidan, M., Wang, L., Fossum, M., Midtbust, H. O., Stuen, J., Bakken, J. I., & Evensen, E. (2015). Norwegian Waste-to-Energy (WtE) in 2030: Challenges and opportunities. Chemical Engineering Transactions, 43, 2401-2406. Retrieved from https://www.aidic.it/cet/15/43/401.pdf

Bolaane, B. (2006). Constraints to promoting people centred approaches in recycling. Habitat International, 30(4), 731-740. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2005.10.002

Burlakovs, J., Kriipsalu, M., Klavins, M., Bhatnagar, A., Vincevica-Gaile, Z., Stenis, J., Jani, Y., Mykhaylenko, V., Denafas, G., Turkadze, T., Hogland, M., Rudovica, V., Kaczala, F., Møller Rosendal, R., & Hogland, W. (2017). Paradigms on landfill mining: from dump site scavenging to ecosystem services revitalization. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 123, 73-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2016.07.007

Cahill, R., Grimes, S. M., & Wilson, D. C. (2011). Review article: Extended producer responsibility for packaging wastes and WEEE – a comparison of implementation and the role of local authorities across Europe. Waste Management & Research, 29(5), 455-479. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X10379455

Căilean Gavrilescu, D., & Teodosiu, C. (2016). An assessment of the Romanian solid waste management system based on sustainable development indicators. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 8, 45-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2016.07.004

Care sunt obligatiile de mediu ale institutiilor publice? (2018). Retrieved from http://www.raportaremediu.ro/2018/05/30/obligatii-mediu-institutii-publice

Celata, F., & Sanna, V. S. (2014). Community activism and sustainability: A multi-dimensional assessment (Working paper n. 137). Università degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza”. Facoltà di Economia. Dipartimento di Metodi e Modelli per l’Economia il Territorio e la Finanza MEMOTEF. Retrieved from https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/33156149.pdf

Charuvichaipong, C., & Sajor, E. (2006). Promoting waste separation for recycling and local governance in Thailand. Habitat International, 30(3), 579-594. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2005.02.002

Cobo, S., Dominguez-Ramos, A., & Irabien, A. (2018). From linear to circular integrated waste management systems: A review of methodological approaches. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 135, 279-295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.08.003

Cucchiella, F., D’Adamo, I., & Gastaldi, M. (2017). Sustainable waste management: Waste to energy plant as an alternative to landfill. Energy Conversion and Management, 131, 18-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2016.11.012

Cunha Marques, R., & Ferreira DaCruz, N. (2016). Recycling and extended producers responsability: The European Experience. London: Routledge.

ETC/SCP & European Environment Agency (EEA). (2013a). Municipal waste management in Romania. Prepared by A. M. Almasi ETC/SCP.

ETC/SCP & European Environment Agency (EEA). (2013b). Municipal waste management in Norway. Prepared by Birgitte Kjær ETC/SCP.

European Commission. (2010a). Directorate-General for the environment. Being wise with waste: The EU’s approach to waste management. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/pdf/WASTE%20BROCHURE.pdf

European Commission. (2010b). Making sustainable consumption and production a reality. A guide for business and policy makers to Life Cycle Thinking and Assessment. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/environment/pubs/pdf/sustainable.pdf

European Commission. (2016). Study on the efficient functioning of waste markets in the EU (Final report July 2016). Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/studies/pdf/waste_market_study.pdf

European Commission. (2018a). Circular economy: New rules will make EU the global front-runner in waste management and recycling – Press release. Brussels, 22 May. Retrieved from http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-3846_en.htm

European Commision. (2018b). Policies and Strategies – Waste – Environment. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/strategy.htm

European Environment Agency (EEA). (2009). Diverting waste from landfill. Effectiveness of waste management policies in the European Union. EEA Report, No. 7/2009. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. Retrieved from http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/diverting-waste-from-landfill-effectiveness-of-waste-management-policies-in-the-european-union

Eurostat. (2013). Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat

Eurostat. (2014). Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat

Eurostat. (2016). Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat

Eurostat. (2018). Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat

Evison, T., & Read, A. D. (2001). Local Authority recycling and waste-awareness publicity/promotion. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 32(3-4), 275-291. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-3449(01)00066-0

Filho, W. L., Pociovalisteanu, D. M., & Al-Amin, A. Q. (Eds.). (2017). Sustainable economic development, green economy and green growth. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.

Fischer, C., Lehner, M., & McKinnon, D. (2012). Overview of the use of landfill taxes in Europe (ETC/SCP working paper 1/2012). Retrieved from https://scp.eionet.europa.eu/publications/WP2012_1/wp/WP2012_1

Gálvez-Martos, J. L., Styles, D., Schoenberger, H., & Zeschmar-Lahl, B. (2018). Construction and demolition waste best management practice in Europe. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 136, 166-178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.04.016

Garda Naţională de Mediu. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.gnm.ro/about.php

Garlapati, V. K. (2016). E-waste in India and developed countries: Management, recycling, business and biotechnological initiatives. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 54, 874-881. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.10.106

Gonçalves, D. S. (2014). Tecnologias de informação e comunicação para otimização da recolha de resíduos recicláveis (Master’s thesis). Lisboa: ISCTE-IUL, Portugal.

Hotta, Y., & Aoki-Suzuki, C. (2014). Waste reduction and recycling initiatives in Japanese cities: Lessons from Yokohama and Kamakura. Waste Management & Research, 32(9), 857-866. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X14539721

Johansson, N., Krook, J., & Eklund, M. (2012). Transforming dumps into gold mines. Experiences from Swedish case studies. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 5, 33-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2012.10.004

Joseph, K. (2006). Stakeholder participation for sustainable waste management. Habitat International, 30(4), 863-871. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2005.09.009

Karak, T., Bhagat, R. M., & Bhattacharyya, P. (2012). Municipal solid waste generation, composition, and management: The World Scenario. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 42(15), 1509-1630. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2011.569871

Kiddee, P., Naidu, B. R., & Wong, M. H. (2013). Electronic waste management approaches: An overview. Waste Management, 33(5), 1237-1250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2013.01.006

Kurz, T., Linden, M., & Sheehy, N. (2007). Attitudinal and community influences on participation in new curbside recycling initiatives in Northern Ireland. Environment and Behavior, 39(3), 367-391. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916506294152

Lazarevic, D., Aoustin, E., Buclet, N., & Brandt, N. (2010). Plastic waste management in the context of a European recycling society: Comparing results and uncertainties in a life cycle perspective. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 55(2), 246-259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2010.09.014

McDonald, S., & Oates, C. (2003). Reasons for non-participation in a Kerbside recycling scheme. Resources, Conservation, and Recycling, 39(4), 369-385. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-3449(03)00020-X

Ministerul Mediului. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.mmediu.ro/categorie/minister/6

Nuortio, T., Kytojoki, J., Niska, H., & Braysy, O. (2006). Improved route planning and scheduling of waste collection and transport. Expert Systems with Applications, 30(2), 223-232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2005.07.009

OECD. (2013). Waste management services, October 2013. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/daf/competition/Waste-management-services-2013.pdf

Planul Național de Gestionare a Deșeurilor (Monitorul Oficial al României, Partea 1, Nr. 11 bis / 5.01.2018). (2018). Bucharest. Retrieved from http://www.mmediu.ro/app/webroot/uploads/files/2018-01-10_MO_11_bis.pdf

Popescu, V., & Pintilie, V. (2013). Detailed characterisation of future waste management Projects (2014–2020) – Romania – JASPERS.

Ramos, T. R. P., Morais, C. S., & Barbosa-Póvoa, A. P. (2018). The smart waste collection routing problem: Alternative operational management approaches. Expert Systems with Applications, 103, 146-158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2018.03.001

Report from the Nordic Competition Authorities. Competition in the waste management sector – Preparing for a circular economy (2016). Retrieved from http://www.konkurrensverket.se/globalassets/publikationer/nordiska/nordic-report-2016_waste-management-sector.pdf

Robbins, C., & Rowe, J. (2002). Unresolved responsibilities: exploring local democratisation and sustainable development through a community-based waste reduction initiative. Local Government Studies, 28(1), 37-58. https://doi.org/10.1080/714004128

România în cifre. Breviar Statistic 2017. (2017). Bucharest: Institutul Național de Statistică. Retrieved from http://www.insse.ro/cms/sites/default/files/field/publicatii/romania_in_cifre_2017_0.pdf

Scorţar, L. M., Lazăr, I., & Zagan Zelter, D. (2009). The condition of waste management in Romania. Manage Marketing Journal, 7(1), 29-35. Retrieved from http://www.mnmk.ro/documents/2009/3_Scortar_FFF.pdf

Sthiannopkao, S., & Wong, M. H. (2013). Handling e-waste in developed and developing countries: Initiatives, practices, and consequences. Science of the Total Environment, 463-464, 1147-1153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.06.088

Subash, A. (2006). Community participation in solid waste management. Office of Environmental Justice.

Taelman, S. E., Tonini, D., Wandl, A., & Dewulf, J. (2018). A holistic sustainability framework for waste management in European Cities: Concept development. Sustainability, 10(7), 2184. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072184

Tambovceva, T., & Geipele, I. (2012). Environmental management systems experience among Latvian construction companies. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 17(4), 595-610. https://doi.org/10.3846/20294913.2011.603179

Tanskanen, P. (2013). Management and recycling of electronic waste. Acta Materialia, 61(3), 1001-1011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2012.11.005

Târțiu, V. (2011). Selective collection of municipal waste in Romania: Characteristics and challenges. Management Research and Practice, 3(3), 53-62. Retrieved from http://mrp.ase.ro/no33/f6.pdf

The Government of Romania. (2004). Government Decision no. 1470/2004 on the approval of the national waste management strategy and the waste management national plan. Published in the Official Monitor no. 954 from 18 October 2004. Romania. Retrieved from http://www.mmediu.ro/beta/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2012-05-17_hg_1470_2004.pdf

The Government of Romania. (2005). Government Decision no. 349/2005 on the storage of waste. (2005). Published in the Official Monitor no. 394 from 10 May 2005. Romania. Retrieved from www.anpm.ro/anpm_resources/migrated_content/uploads/3767_HG%20349_2005.doc

The Government of Romania. (2005). Government Decision no. 621/2005. Published in the Official Monitor no. 639 from 20 July 2005. Romania. Retrieved from http://www.mmediu.ro/beta/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2012-05-18_hg_621_2005.pdf

The Government of Romania. (2005). Government Emergency Ordinance no. 196/2005 on the Environmental Fund. Published in the Official Monitor no. 1193 from 30 December 2005. Romania. Retrieved from https://www.afm.ro/main/legislatie_taxe_si_contributii/2017/oug_196_2005_17072017.pdf

The Government of Romania. (2010). Government Decision no. Regulation 1037/2010. Published in the Official Monitor no. 728 from 2 November 2010. Romania. Retrieved from http://www.mmediu.ro/beta/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2012-05-18_hg_1037_2010.pdf

The Government of Romania. (2018). Government Emergency Ordinance no. 74/2018. Published in the Official Monitor no. 630 from 19 July 2018. Romania. Retrieved from http://www.asrm.ro/pdf/noutati/noutati-legislative-iulie-2018/OU_74-2018_MODIFICA_LEGE_DEESURI,_AMBA-LAJE,_AFM.pdf

The Romanian Parliament (2011). Law no. 211/2011 on the waste regime. Published in the Official Monitor no. 837 from 25 November 2011 Romania. Retrieved from http://www.mmediu.ro/beta/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2012-05-17_LEGE_211_2011.pdf

UN-HABITAT. (2010). Solid waste management in the world’s cities. Water and sanitation in the world’s cities report 2010. Washington DC: Earthscan. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781849774871

Vicente, P., & Reis, E. (2008). Factors influencing households’ participation in recycling. Waste Management & Research, 26, 140–146. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X07077371

Wilson, C. D. H., & Williams, I. D. (2007). Kerbside collection: a case study from the north-west of England. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 52(2), 381-394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2007.02.006

Wilson, D. C., Velis, C., & Cheeseman, C. (2006). Role of informal sector recycling in waste management in developing countries. Habitat International, 30(4), 797-808. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2005.09.005

Zaman, A. U. (2014). Measuring waste management performance using the “Zero Waste Index”: The case of Adelaide, Australia. Journal of Cleaner Production, 66, 407-419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.10.032

Zaman, A. U. (2015). A comprehensive review of the development of zero waste management: Lessons learned and guidelines. Journal of Cleaner Production, 91, 12-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.12.013

Zorpas, A. A., Lasaridi, K., Pociovălișteanu, D. M., & Loizia, P. (2018). Monitoring and evaluation of prevention activities regarding household organics waste from insular communities. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172, 3567-3577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.03.155