Benefits of introducing door-to-door separate collection in rural areas

• J. Vaz ^[2] ; V. Sousa ^[3] ; C. Dias-Ferreira ^[1]
  1. [1] Research Center for Natural Resources, Environment and Society

     Research Center for Natural Resources, Environment and Society

     Coimbra (Sé Nova), Portugal

     
  2. [2] Ecogestus
  3. [3] Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisboa

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• Localización: Wastes: solutions, treatments and opportunities III / Cândida Vilarinho (dir.), Fernando Castro (dir.), Margarida Gonçalves Neto (dir.), Ana Luísa Fernando (dir.), 2020, ISBN 9780367257774, págs. 421-427
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • There is a pre-conception that in rural isolated areas, the production of recyclable waste is reduced and door-to-door collection schemes are not worth setting-up. This work describes the implementation of a pilot test for door-to-door collection of dry recyclable waste at a small rural site. It aims at improving the knowledge about the waste generated in rural areas and the impact on source segregation habits arising from the implementation of door-to-door collection. The strategy comprised the introduction of individual waste containers and bags at household level and setting up a waste generation monitoring and physical composition evaluation programs. The recyclable waste more than tripled after implementation of door-to-door collection, from 23 kg/inhab/year to 73 kg/inhab/year. Concomitantly, residual waste decreased from 230 kg/inhab/year to 180 kg/inhab/year. The strategy followed at the test site represented a positive incentive for householders and services to source segregate and produce less residual waste.