A Door-to-Door Waste Collection System Case Study: A Survey on its Sustainability and Effectiveness

Abstract

<jats:p>Municipal waste management is a relevant topic these days, in its relation to sustainable and environmental concerns. Sorting waste fractions at home for a door-to-door collection system proves to positively affect the environmental impacts of waste management strategies both by reducing the amounts of the waste landfilled and by originating new circular economies. However, the environmental impact caused by both waste collection and transport, together with waste quality, should be carefully evaluated to assess the sustainability of such a collection system. In order to evaluate the logistic and environmental effectiveness of a newly implemented door-to-door collection system in Altamura, a mid-sized town in Southern Italy, a survey was designed and submitted to a sample of citizens. The results obtained from the 385 completed surveys show that the door-to-door collection of glass waste is inefficient since most of the designated bins remain partially filled and less frequently delivered; citizens are more motivated to adequately collect sorted waste fractions upon receiving information about the subsequent environmental benefits and outcomes of the fractions collected; a high percentage of people still use disposable items in their daily life. Possible changes to the weekly bins collection schedule have been proposed in order to have a more proficient and environmentally sustainable waste collection service in the town. The survey is part of a project aiming at developing a smart device to support users in home waste management.</jats:p>

Evaluation of Households‘ Practices Towards Solid Waste Management

“…This may return to the lack of vehicles or trucks that transport the waste in the study area. This finding agreed with the study that was conducted by Laurieri, who found that the respondents differentially deliver their small bins outside their house during the week according to the pick-up planning scheduled by municipal authorities, with only a very few people delivering their bins only 3 days a week or less (9.6%), (Laurieri et al, 2020). In case the waste vehicle does not attend,halfof the respondents (48%) throw their solid waste in the street, 32% throw in front of the home.…”

“…A study conducted by Putnick and Bornstein showed that girls are more likely to be involved in excessive housework than boys (Putnick and Bornstein, 2016). A study conducted by Laurieri, regarding the practical management of home waste, showed that respondents differentially deliver their small bins outside their house during the week according to the pick-up planning scheduled by municipal authorities, with only a very few people delivering their bins only 3 days a week or less (9.6%), (Laurieri, 2020). McAllister stated that the municipalities' responsibility is to organize and manage the public sanitation system, including providing the infrastructure for the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of wastes (McAllister, 2015).…”

[Retracted] Machine Learning and IoT‐Based Waste Management Model

“…Due to the rapid rise in inhabitants worldwide, the usage of every material has also increased exponentially, and the amount of waste generated every day is also very large. e civic authorities' ordinary trash cans are also becoming a major reason for the inefficient collection and management of waste [10]. None can use smart bins in place of them, which will provide real-time information and reduce the cost and the time of waste collection.…”

Separate collection and bio-waste valorization in the Italian poultry sector by material flow analysis

“…Further, it has been estimated that door-to-door collection schemes deliver better results and are more likely to involve consumers in the sustainable process [90], making them more aware of the waste they produce [91]. Further, door-to-door collection could be easily monitored, and unsustainable consumers are more likely to be subject to fines [92].…”