Transition to Circular Economy: Stakeholder Interventions in Sustainable Municipal Waste Management

Abstract

Rapid urbanization and industrialization are the major reasons to generate the more waste in the cities. The linear economy system is largely implemented by the public, i.e., purchase, use, and dispose. As a result, most of the waste are end with landfill. Hence, this study mainly focused on the shift from a linear economy system into circular economy system, such as reduce, reuse, and recycle, to facilitate sustainable waste management in the cities. This study examines the role of stakeholder intervention (households, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Department) in the successful transition towards a circular economy system in municipal waste management. This study used both qualitative and quantitative approaches to examine the stakeholders' behaviour across the two major best practices wards of Bangalore, such as HSR Layout and Koramangala ward. The findings of the study highlight that households’ behaviours towards waste segregation and disposal, RWAs and NGOs' initiatives towards awareness creation and implementing circular economy practices, and an effective operational system by the SWM department help to achieve sustainable solid waste management. These stakeholders' active involvement in circular economy practices helps to reduce landfill dependency, enhance recycling efficiency, and convert the waste into a resource. The effective coordination among these stakeholders are able to facilitate long-term sustainable waste management in the city.