The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in major disruptions in the way municipal solid waste management systems (MSWMSs) operate due to substantial distortions in waste generation trends, along with a variety of significant operational and managerial challenges. As critical infrastructure, MSWMSs have endeavored to adapt in response to such unprecedented stresses in order to maintain their operations during the pandemic. The challenges and their relevant adaptive measures, however, have varied with the progression of the pandemic across different MSWMSs. Currently, there is a limited understanding of such time-bound and system-specific phenomena, which impedes timely and effective adaptation. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by performing a detailed and documented investigation of the longitudinal impact of the coronavirus pandemic on different MSWMSs across the United States, along with its evolution over time, using collected qualitative and quantitative data (i.e., monthly interviews with waste management personnel, online news media, and waste tonnages). This study also develops a relational database system to facilitate the systematic recording and monitoring of the pandemic’s impact on MSWMSs, as well as guide the implementation of different adaptation strategies based on distinct systems’ characteristics. Findings of this study will help solid waste decision-makers better understand the current pandemic, along with serving as a knowledge base for future pandemic scenarios towards more resilient MSWMSs.
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After the Perfect Storm
Recent disruptions in waste management, including the COVID-19 pandemic and China’s decision to limit waste imports from the United States, have shocked materials management systems across the United States. In Maine, these disruptions have been exacerbated by significant disturbances in the state’s waste management infrastructure. These shocks, emerging on multiple scales, combine to strongly impact Maine’s communities. Drawing on interviews with stakeholders involved in waste hauling, processing, outreach and education, as well as state and municipal government. Our paper explores how participants are leveraging these experiences to envision a more resilient materials management system for the state. However, as this case study illustrates, the complexity of materials management systems means that there is no single solution for ongoing, emergent, and unforeseen disruptions. Our research identifies tensions related to how to define system boundaries, the respective roles of the government and markets, issues of scale, and the dual need for both centralized and distributed solutions. Our exploration of materials management disruptions in Maine demonstrates the complexity of building and managing systems that attempt to balance the social, economic and ecological dimensions of materials management systems.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1934426
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10359243
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Case Studies in the Environment
- Volume:
- 6
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2473-9510
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1525/cse.2022.1706963
