What is the World Bank's Place in Zero Waste Projects? Which Zero Waste Projects are Supported by the World Bank?
Production, collection, transportation, and purification projects are carried out. The World Bank intervenes in all areas of the life cycle of waste, especially in all its projects. While investing in the Solid Waste Management process, they adhere to many reasons and reasons. Their priority is the creation of infrastructure. Waste separation and treatment plants support the constructed projects. Likewise, they support projects where landfills are closed, and landfills are built in their place. It regularly calls for legal structures to be made and institutions to work in this area.
Training and projects are launched to advise institutions and organizations on waste management measures and coordinated institutions. At the same time, they carry out financial sustainability projects to realize the zero waste target. They take part in or create projects that design taxation and wage structures. They organize awareness campaigns for this process to reach individuals. It is planned to develop a functional waste system through behavioral change by ensuring the participation of citizens. In most developing countries, the recovery of resources is achieved through the recycling of discarded waste.
While 15% to 20% of the waste is collected, classified, and recycled, there is an informal process. By providing social coverage, the recycling process should be integrated into the official system, and safe working conditions should be provided. The World Bank provides resources by giving funds and grants in many areas, such as providing social security support, preventing child workers from working in this field, and providing training to create innovative processes.
The World Bank is working to establish treatment systems that capture organic waste, biogas, and landfill gas to reduce food loss and waste. It is trying to reach carbon footprint targets by supporting the reduction of greenhouse gasses. Waste projects also prevent wastes that pollute or destroy water resources by being included in waterways. By establishing the systems referred to as the debris method, the floods that may occur due to the climate crisis are prevented, and a healthy accumulation of water is ensured.
At the same time, many projects are carried out with the World Bank and public institutions and organizations to protect public health and safety. In particular, livelihoods are increased by preventing fires in open areas, reducing fallow, and reducing pests and diseases. As the World Bank, funds and grants are given to many projects to develop in this field to institutions and organizations that take care of the public interest.
Finally, the World Bank provides funds and grants to enable governments to use their technical expertise to collect data and provide analytical reporting. In this process, solutions are suitable for institutions, especially by acting in partnership with local institutions. It helps to plan and discover appropriate solutions locally.
What a Waste 2.0?
With the World Bank's report titled Global Solid Waste Management Perspective for 2050, it has been revealed that urban solid waste has reached 2 billion tons in recent times. It is thought that this rate will reach 3.4 billion tons by 2050. The report captures the latest trends in waste management.
The World Bank's waste management engagement covers multiple development areas, including energy, environmental sustainability, food and agriculture, health and population, social protection, transport, urban development, and water. However, the climate crisis is desired to be brought to an urgent and priority position for now.
What is the Zero Waste Europe Report?
The gravity of the situation has been revealed in the report of Zero Waste Europe, which was published recently. The first point that attracted attention in the climate crisis was the waste disposal methods. It has been pointed out that global greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by preventing the destruction of wastes by incineration. At the same time, it was aimed to create awareness by emphasizing that global greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by reducing plastic production. In order to keep the temperature of the world below 2 degrees, calls have been made at the international and national levels, and solutions have been proposed.
Zero Waste Europe aims to continuously reduce waste generation and improve the separate collection of waste. In this process, individual factors were determined as a priority. The relationship between the individual and the waste was analyzed. Thus, this process can be redesigned, and waste generation can be reduced. Many studies have been carried out for this purpose. The municipalities in Europe were determined as the target group, and analyses were carried out. The reason why the European Municipalities were chosen as the pilot region was that the institutions and organizations involved in the administration of the cities were strictly dependent on waste controls.
Zero Waste Europe's goal is not just to provide visibility to top performers. It is also to facilitate and recognize the commitments of municipalities committed to moving toward zero waste, even though there may be unsatisfactory results.
Does Zero Waste Europe and Businesses are Supported?
Company leaders worldwide have started to adopt and implement the zero waste philosophy. They meticulously follow the steps to achieve the zero waste target and ensure that they are implemented in their companies.
With Zero Waste Europe, many funds and grants are given to companies through institutions and organizations. Funds and grants are issued to companies to achieve their zero waste targets. Many projects need to be done to achieve the zero waste target.
When using raw materials, companies that are sensitive to zero waste use recycled products, not newly extracted (extraction) products. In cases where new extraction is required, it is ensured that extraction is done with renewable energy sources, at least reducing fuel consumption and protecting natural resources.
In line with the companies' zero waste target, landfills will be created. Thus, the rate of incineration of wastes will be reduced, and a step will be taken to clean air space.
At the same time, linear production systems should be abandoned. In linear production systems, the recycling process of waste is no longer the responsibility of companies. Raw materials are consumed using natural resources, and the resulting wastes are not recycled. However, by using the recycling potential in circular/circular systems, both natural resources are not consumed, and wastes do not harm nature.
Waste generation inside and outside the factories should be prevented to provide production areas in circular systems. At the same time, production processes should be redesigned for the use of recycled raw materials.
Solutions should be found to minimize energy consumption and waste generation from the product or machine by including them in optimization calculations. The use of renewable energy sources should be increased and included in all areas of production.
Economic designs should be applied. Product policy approaches must also be changed and harmonized to implement financial plans fully. Companies should likewise focus on conserving natural resources rather than maximizing profits. They should focus on the efficiency of using natural resources rather than human efficiency. Again, they should prioritize the efficiency of the use of waste.
As a result, companies must do much work separately to achieve the zero waste target. Studies carried out by the criteria set by the World Bank will comply with national and international standards. With the work they will do, they will both provide visibility and reach their sustainability goals. ESG criteria will be met, and their corporate reputation will be increased.
Author:
Çağın Ergün
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