Compost Quality and Markets Are Pivotal for Sustainability in Circular Food-Nutrient Systems: A Case Study of Sri Lanka

Sustainable management of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a critical issue around the world, especially in South Asia where waste generation is expected to double by 2050. Closing the food-nutrient cycle through composting biodegradable MSW has the potential to meet human needs, including sanitation...

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Autores principales:	Eric D. Roy, Mohamed Esham, Nilanthi Jayathilake, Miriam Otoo, Christopher Koliba, Isuru B. Wijethunga, Maya J. Fein-Cole
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Frontiers Media S.A. 2021
Materias:	compost systems thinking case study food waste municipal solid waste (MSW) circular economy Nutrition. Foods and food supply TX341-641 Food processing and manufacture TP368-456
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/00a395745db5484a97507ba7e224af35
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:00a395745db5484a97507ba7e224af352021-11-19T07:42:06ZCompost Quality and Markets Are Pivotal for Sustainability in Circular Food-Nutrient Systems: A Case Study of Sri Lanka2571-581X10.3389/fsufs.2021.748391https://doaj.org/article/00a395745db5484a97507ba7e224af352021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2021.748391/fullhttps://doaj.org/toc/2571-581XSustainable management of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a critical issue around the world, especially in South Asia where waste generation is expected to double by 2050. Closing the food-nutrient cycle through composting biodegradable MSW has the potential to meet human needs, including sanitation and food security, while protecting the environment. We use an interdisciplinary case study approach including systems thinking to assess Sri Lanka's national MSW composting system, which primarily receives residential and commercial food waste. We embed quantitative compost quality analysis and interviews at 20 composting facilities within a broader qualitative assessment informed by ~60 stakeholders in total. This approach yields insights on how institutional, economic, social, and biophysical aspects of the system are interrelated, and how challenges and solutions can create undesirable and desirable cascading effects, respectively. Such dynamics can create risks of composting facility failure and unintended consequences, diminishing the chances of achieving a sustainable circular food–nutrient system. Compost quality, which was variable, plays a pivotal role within the system—a function of program design and implementation, as well as a determinant of value capture in a circular economy. We make several recommendations to inform future efforts to sustainably manage biodegradable MSW using composting, drawing on our case study of Sri Lanka and prior case studies from other nations. Key among these is the need for increased emphasis on compost product quality and markets in policy and program design and implementation. Targeted measures are needed to improve waste separation, boost compost quality, effectively use compost standards, encourage compost market development, ringfence the revenues generated at municipal compost plants, and identify efficient modes of compost distribution. Such measures require adequate space and infrastructure for composting, resource investment, local expertise to guide effective system management, strong links with the agriculture sector, and continued political support.Eric D. RoyEric D. RoyEric D. RoyMohamed EshamNilanthi JayathilakeMiriam OtooChristopher KolibaChristopher KolibaIsuru B. WijethungaMaya J. Fein-ColeFrontiers Media S.A.articlecompostsystems thinkingcase studyfood wastemunicipal solid waste (MSW)circular economyNutrition. Foods and food supplyTX341-641Food processing and manufactureTP368-456ENFrontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, Vol 5 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	compost systems thinking case study food waste municipal solid waste (MSW) circular economy Nutrition. Foods and food supply TX341-641 Food processing and manufacture TP368-456
spellingShingle	compost systems thinking case study food waste municipal solid waste (MSW) circular economy Nutrition. Foods and food supply TX341-641 Food processing and manufacture TP368-456 Eric D. Roy Eric D. Roy Eric D. Roy Mohamed Esham Nilanthi Jayathilake Miriam Otoo Christopher Koliba Christopher Koliba Isuru B. Wijethunga Maya J. Fein-Cole Compost Quality and Markets Are Pivotal for Sustainability in Circular Food-Nutrient Systems: A Case Study of Sri Lanka
description	Sustainable management of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a critical issue around the world, especially in South Asia where waste generation is expected to double by 2050. Closing the food-nutrient cycle through composting biodegradable MSW has the potential to meet human needs, including sanitation and food security, while protecting the environment. We use an interdisciplinary case study approach including systems thinking to assess Sri Lanka's national MSW composting system, which primarily receives residential and commercial food waste. We embed quantitative compost quality analysis and interviews at 20 composting facilities within a broader qualitative assessment informed by ~60 stakeholders in total. This approach yields insights on how institutional, economic, social, and biophysical aspects of the system are interrelated, and how challenges and solutions can create undesirable and desirable cascading effects, respectively. Such dynamics can create risks of composting facility failure and unintended consequences, diminishing the chances of achieving a sustainable circular food–nutrient system. Compost quality, which was variable, plays a pivotal role within the system—a function of program design and implementation, as well as a determinant of value capture in a circular economy. We make several recommendations to inform future efforts to sustainably manage biodegradable MSW using composting, drawing on our case study of Sri Lanka and prior case studies from other nations. Key among these is the need for increased emphasis on compost product quality and markets in policy and program design and implementation. Targeted measures are needed to improve waste separation, boost compost quality, effectively use compost standards, encourage compost market development, ringfence the revenues generated at municipal compost plants, and identify efficient modes of compost distribution. Such measures require adequate space and infrastructure for composting, resource investment, local expertise to guide effective system management, strong links with the agriculture sector, and continued political support.
format	article
author	Eric D. Roy Eric D. Roy Eric D. Roy Mohamed Esham Nilanthi Jayathilake Miriam Otoo Christopher Koliba Christopher Koliba Isuru B. Wijethunga Maya J. Fein-Cole
author_facet	Eric D. Roy Eric D. Roy Eric D. Roy Mohamed Esham Nilanthi Jayathilake Miriam Otoo Christopher Koliba Christopher Koliba Isuru B. Wijethunga Maya J. Fein-Cole
author_sort	Eric D. Roy
title	Compost Quality and Markets Are Pivotal for Sustainability in Circular Food-Nutrient Systems: A Case Study of Sri Lanka
title_short	Compost Quality and Markets Are Pivotal for Sustainability in Circular Food-Nutrient Systems: A Case Study of Sri Lanka
title_full	Compost Quality and Markets Are Pivotal for Sustainability in Circular Food-Nutrient Systems: A Case Study of Sri Lanka
title_fullStr	Compost Quality and Markets Are Pivotal for Sustainability in Circular Food-Nutrient Systems: A Case Study of Sri Lanka
title_full_unstemmed	Compost Quality and Markets Are Pivotal for Sustainability in Circular Food-Nutrient Systems: A Case Study of Sri Lanka
title_sort	compost quality and markets are pivotal for sustainability in circular food-nutrient systems: a case study of sri lanka
publisher	Frontiers Media S.A.
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/00a395745db5484a97507ba7e224af35
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Compost Quality and Markets Are Pivotal for Sustainability in Circular Food-Nutrient Systems: A Case Study of Sri Lanka

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