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Solid Waste Management in the Context of a Circular Economy in the MENA Region

Author

Listed:
  • Safwat Hemidat

    (Department of Waste and Resource Management, Rostock University, 18051 Rostock, Germany)

  • Ouafa Achouri

    (Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Process Engineering, University of Salah Boubnider Constantine 3, ‘B’ 72 Ali Mendjeli Nouvelle Ville, Constantine 25000, Algeria)

  • Loubna El Fels

    (Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnologies, Agrosciences and Environment (BioMAgE) Labeled Research Unit-CNRST N°4, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco)

  • Sherien Elagroudy

    (Egypt Solid Waste Management Center of Excellence, Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University, Abbasseya, Cairo Governorate 11535, Egypt)

  • Mohamed Hafidi

    (Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnologies, Agrosciences and Environment (BioMAgE) Labeled Research Unit-CNRST N°4, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco)

  • Benabbas Chaouki

    (Institute of Urban Techniques Management, Constantine 3 University, ‘B’ 72 Ali Mendjeli Nouvelle Ville, Constantine 25000, Algeria)

  • Mostafa Ahmed

    (Egypt Solid Waste Management Center of Excellence, Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University, Abbasseya, Cairo Governorate 11535, Egypt)

  • Isla Hodgkinson

    (Institute of Waste Management and Circular Economy, Technical University of Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany)

  • Jinyang Guo

    (Sustainable Resource and Waste Management, Hamburg University of Technology, Blohmstr. 15, 21079 Hamburg, Germany)

Abstract

Solid waste management in most MENA countries is characterized by lack of planning, improper disposal, inadequate collection services, inappropriate technologies that suit the local conditions and technical requirements, and insufficient funding. Therefore, waste management is mainly limited to collection, transportation, and disposal. As the circular economy has recently been given high priority on the MENA region’s political agenda, all MENA member states are seeking to move away from old-fashioned waste disposal, “waste management”, towards a more intelligent waste treatment, “resource efficiency”. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of national systems for municipal solid waste (MSW) management, and material and energy recovery as an important aspect thereof, in the context of the circular economy in selected countries in the MENA region. Since policy, regulation, and treatment technologies are traditionally connected to MSW management, the focus of this article is twofold. Firstly, it aims to identify the different practices of solid waste management employed in selected MENA region countries and their approaches to embracing the circular economy and, secondly, it examines the extent to which policies and technologies applied play any role in this context. The study revealed that most waste management issues in the countries analyzed appear to be due to political factors and the decentralized nature of waste management with multi-level management and responsibilities. In fact, material and energy recovery in the context of municipal solid waste management does not differ significantly in the countries in the MENA region considered. In most cases, “waste” is still seen as “trouble” rather than a resource. Therefore, a fresh vision on how the solid waste management system can be transformed into a circular economy is required; there is a need for paradigm shift from a linear economy model to a circular-economy model.

Suggested Citation

  • Safwat Hemidat & Ouafa Achouri & Loubna El Fels & Sherien Elagroudy & Mohamed Hafidi & Benabbas Chaouki & Mostafa Ahmed & Isla Hodgkinson & Jinyang Guo, 2022. "Solid Waste Management in the Context of a Circular Economy in the MENA Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-24, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:1:p:480-:d:716706
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Safwat Hemidat & Motasem Saidan & Salam Al-Zu’bi & Mahmoud Irshidat & Abdallah Nassour & Michael Nelles, 2019. "Potential Utilization of RDF as an Alternative Fuel to be Used in Cement Industry in Jordan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-23, October.
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    2. Hani A. Abu-Qdais & Nawras Shatnawi & Rami Al-Shahrabi, 2023. "Modeling the Impact of Fees and Circular Economy Options on the Financial Sustainability of the Solid Waste Management System in Jordan," Resources, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-16, February.
    3. Abdallah Namoun & Ali Tufail & Muhammad Yasar Khan & Ahmed Alrehaili & Toqeer Ali Syed & Oussama BenRhouma, 2022. "Solid Waste Generation and Disposal Using Machine Learning Approaches: A Survey of Solutions and Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-32, October.
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    8. Sławomir Kasiński & Marcin Dębowski & Gabriela Tylus & Marcin Rudnicki, 2022. "Characteristics of Wastewater from Municipal Waste Bio-Drying and Its Impact on Aquatic Environment—Long-Term Research on a Technical Scale," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-18, December.
    9. Ahmed Shaban & Fatma-Elzahraa Zaki & Islam H. Afefy & Giulio Di Gravio & Andrea Falegnami & Riccardo Patriarca, 2022. "An Optimization Model for the Design of a Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-19, May.
    10. Feriel Kheira Kebaili & Amel Baziz-Berkani & Hani Amir Aouissi & Florin-Constantin Mihai & Moustafa Houda & Mostefa Ababsa & Marc Azab & Alexandru-Ionut Petrisor & Christine Fürst, 2022. "Characterization and Planning of Household Waste Management: A Case Study from the MENA Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-13, May.
    11. Imran Khan & Shahariar Chowdhury & Kuaanan Techato, 2022. "Waste to Energy in Developing Countries—A Rapid Review: Opportunities, Challenges, and Policies in Selected Countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia towards Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-27, March.
    12. Aarthi Aishwarya Devendran & Brijesh Mainali & Dilip Khatiwada & Farzin Golzar & Krushna Mahapatra & Camila H. Toigo, 2023. "Optimization of Municipal Waste Streams in Achieving Urban Circularity in the City of Curitiba, Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-18, February.
    13. Hridoy Roy & Samiha Raisa Alam & Rayhan Bin-Masud & Tonima Rahman Prantika & Md. Nahid Pervez & Md. Shahinoor Islam & Vincenzo Naddeo, 2022. "A Review on Characteristics, Techniques, and Waste-to-Energy Aspects of Municipal Solid Waste Management: Bangladesh Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-25, August.
    14. Harrison Huang & Lu Li, 2022. "Study Reviews and Rethinking the Key Processes for Managing Building Materials to Enhance the Circular Economy in the AEC Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-18, September.
    15. Sabah Mariyam & Logan Cochrane & Shifa Zuhara & Gordon McKay, 2022. "Waste Management in Qatar: A Systematic Literature Review and Recommendations for System Strengthening," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-23, July.
    16. Camilo-A. Vargas-Terranova & Javier Rodrigo-Ilarri & María-Elena Rodrigo-Clavero & Miguel-A. Rozo-Arango, 2022. "M-GRCT: A Dynamic Circular Economy Model for the Optimal Design of Waste Management Systems in Low-Income Municipalities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-25, February.

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