13 April 2007

Call for papers: Case studies on landfill diversion of household waste

Call for papers: Case studies on landfill diversion of household waste

A special issue of International Journal of Environment and Waste Management

Household waste (HW) is a specific component of municipal solid waste (MSW). It originates from normal daily activities in municipal residences. Generation rate and composition depend on geographical location as well as social stratification of communities. HW is a quite heterogeneous commodity that comprises biodegradable as well as inert material in various proportions and states of mixture.

In some regions of the World source separation is mandatory, but separation and collection procedures vary. In the recent past, landfills have been associated with the lack of municipal sustainability because they increase the ecological footprints of communities. Many types of diversion procedures of HW from landfills have been experimented with in all parts of the World, with variable degrees of success. These procedures include centralised and decentralised management models with or without the participation of private initiatives. Separation is the basic requirement for diversion, but it may occur at various stages of the reverse logistics chain, which in turn has diverse characteristics in different parts of the world.

The aim of this special issue is to bring together experiences reported from different geographical regions and local contexts in the effort to divert HW from landfills, with the respective results and prospects.

Original research papers or reviews are invited in the following and related areas:

  • Environmental education and behaviour monitoring
  • Source separation schemes
  • Collection procedures, equipment and stake holders
  • Final destinations other than landfill
  • Reverse logistics
  • Waste composition
  • Centralised and decentralised management
  • Community involvement
  • Recycling philosophies
  • Composting in its various forms
  • Value monitoring in the reverse logistics chain
  • Impacts on landfill size
  • Private initiative contributions
  • Municipal HW administration
  • Economic vs. sustainability considerations
  • Opportunity cost accounting for HW
  • Best practice indications

Important Dates

Deadline for paper submission: 30 October 2007
First turn of papers review: 30 January 2008
Second turn of papers review: 30 March 2008
Final papers submission: 30 June 2008

No comments: