Sustainability and Environmental Performance in Selective Collection of Residual Materials: Impact of Modulating Citizen Participation Through Policy and Incentive Implementation
The effective management of urban waste represents a growing challenge in the face of demographic evolution and increased consumption. This study explores the impacts of municipal strategic decisions on household waste management behaviours and sustainability performance outcomes through agent-based...
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| author | Laurie Fontaine Robert Legros Jean-Marc Frayret |
| author_facet | Laurie Fontaine Robert Legros Jean-Marc Frayret |
| author_sort | Laurie Fontaine |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The effective management of urban waste represents a growing challenge in the face of demographic evolution and increased consumption. This study explores the impacts of municipal strategic decisions on household waste management behaviours and sustainability performance outcomes through agent-based modelling. Using data from Gatineau and Beaconsfield in Quebec, Canada, the model is calibrated and validated to represent diverse urban contexts. Our analysis demonstrates that reducing collection frequency leads to notable increases in participation rates, reaching 78.2 ± 5.1% for collections every two weeks and 96.5 ± 8.3% for collections every five weeks. While this reduction improves bin filling levels, it concurrently decreases the recovery of recyclable materials by 2.8% and 19.5%, significantly undermining the environmental benefits of the recycling program. These findings highlight a complex interplay between collection frequency, citizen participation behaviour, waste stream characteristics, and overall environmental performance. While reducing collection frequency initially appears beneficial, it leads to operational challenges and increased CO<sub>2</sub> emissions due to reduced material recovery. The research emphasises the need for tailored holistic waste management strategies that optimise performance outcomes while minimising environmental impacts. By understanding these dynamics, municipalities can develop more effective waste management policies that promote sustainability. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8bdf3ad828d64add8b75c4f77a856bcf |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2079-9276 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Resources |
| spelling | doaj-art-8bdf3ad828d64add8b75c4f77a856bcf2025-08-20T02:05:07ZengMDPI AGResources2079-92762024-10-01131115110.3390/resources13110151Sustainability and Environmental Performance in Selective Collection of Residual Materials: Impact of Modulating Citizen Participation Through Policy and Incentive ImplementationLaurie Fontaine0Robert Legros1Jean-Marc Frayret2Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard-Montpetit, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, CanadaDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard-Montpetit, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, CanadaDepartment of Mathematics and Industrial Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard-Montpetit, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, CanadaThe effective management of urban waste represents a growing challenge in the face of demographic evolution and increased consumption. This study explores the impacts of municipal strategic decisions on household waste management behaviours and sustainability performance outcomes through agent-based modelling. Using data from Gatineau and Beaconsfield in Quebec, Canada, the model is calibrated and validated to represent diverse urban contexts. Our analysis demonstrates that reducing collection frequency leads to notable increases in participation rates, reaching 78.2 ± 5.1% for collections every two weeks and 96.5 ± 8.3% for collections every five weeks. While this reduction improves bin filling levels, it concurrently decreases the recovery of recyclable materials by 2.8% and 19.5%, significantly undermining the environmental benefits of the recycling program. These findings highlight a complex interplay between collection frequency, citizen participation behaviour, waste stream characteristics, and overall environmental performance. While reducing collection frequency initially appears beneficial, it leads to operational challenges and increased CO<sub>2</sub> emissions due to reduced material recovery. The research emphasises the need for tailored holistic waste management strategies that optimise performance outcomes while minimising environmental impacts. By understanding these dynamics, municipalities can develop more effective waste management policies that promote sustainability.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/13/11/151municipal solid wasteagent-based simulation modelshousehold behaviourssustainability performancesustainable urban waste managementmunicipal strategic decision |
| spellingShingle | Laurie Fontaine Robert Legros Jean-Marc Frayret Sustainability and Environmental Performance in Selective Collection of Residual Materials: Impact of Modulating Citizen Participation Through Policy and Incentive Implementation Resources municipal solid waste agent-based simulation models household behaviours sustainability performance sustainable urban waste management municipal strategic decision |
| title | Sustainability and Environmental Performance in Selective Collection of Residual Materials: Impact of Modulating Citizen Participation Through Policy and Incentive Implementation |
| title_full | Sustainability and Environmental Performance in Selective Collection of Residual Materials: Impact of Modulating Citizen Participation Through Policy and Incentive Implementation |
| title_fullStr | Sustainability and Environmental Performance in Selective Collection of Residual Materials: Impact of Modulating Citizen Participation Through Policy and Incentive Implementation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sustainability and Environmental Performance in Selective Collection of Residual Materials: Impact of Modulating Citizen Participation Through Policy and Incentive Implementation |
| title_short | Sustainability and Environmental Performance in Selective Collection of Residual Materials: Impact of Modulating Citizen Participation Through Policy and Incentive Implementation |
| title_sort | sustainability and environmental performance in selective collection of residual materials impact of modulating citizen participation through policy and incentive implementation |
| topic | municipal solid waste agent-based simulation models household behaviours sustainability performance sustainable urban waste management municipal strategic decision |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/13/11/151 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lauriefontaine sustainabilityandenvironmentalperformanceinselectivecollectionofresidualmaterialsimpactofmodulatingcitizenparticipationthroughpolicyandincentiveimplementation AT robertlegros sustainabilityandenvironmentalperformanceinselectivecollectionofresidualmaterialsimpactofmodulatingcitizenparticipationthroughpolicyandincentiveimplementation AT jeanmarcfrayret sustainabilityandenvironmentalperformanceinselectivecollectionofresidualmaterialsimpactofmodulatingcitizenparticipationthroughpolicyandincentiveimplementation |