Waste management

Effective management of urban waste is a crucial element of sustainable urban development. It minimises negative environmental and social impacts of waste, while maximising resource recovery.

Waste management practices aligned with circular economy principles and lifecycle approaches are key - seeking to reduce, re-use and recycle urban waste streams wherever possible, reducing waste sent to landfill.

Effective and energy-efficient separation, collection, transport, treatment and disposal mechanisms are vital for this, including to deal with hazardous materials appropriately.

Approaches can be based on the use of innovative technologies, stricter regulation, new services and infrastructure, as well as awareness-raising. They can also usefully target specific waste streams, including household, commercial, construction and electronic waste.