Urbanization and solid waste production: prospects and challenges

Abstract

The increasing urban population and the restructuring of urban economies are the main aspects that determine urban development in the twenty-first century. Rapid urbanization is among the most significant anthropogenic factors that impact ecosystems and sustainability. Urbanization is a "double-edged sword." Even though it contributes to economic prosperity and social development, at the same time, it poses severe challenges to the natural environment and social system. The scientific community emphasizes the need to investigate the relationship between cities and the environment to comprehend their dynamic interactions related with problems such as climate change, consumption of natural resources, and life quality degradation. Population growth and urbanization are central considerations of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11, dealing with making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Moreover, the new circular economy model is receiving increasing attention globally as a solution to the current production and consumption model, which is based on constant growth and increasing resource input. The objective of this paper was to identify the major challenges occurred due to the rapid urbanization in a coastal city though a qualitative and quantitative waste compositional analysis. The ultimate goal is to propose the waste compositional analysis as a new indicator in the literature for determination of the degree of metabolism in an island region. According to the compositional analysis, the higher the population density in a region, the greater the volume of garbage produced and, consequently, the infrastructure necessary for waste management. Also, the increased seasonal tourist activity leads to an increase in the number of tourist accommodations and services. The results provided may also be applicable in other cities with similar characteristics related with tourism habits and the challenges they may face as a result of the waste production.

Keywords: Municipal solid waste; Sustainable Development Goals; Urban metabolism; Urbanization; Waste compositional analysis.