ABSTRACT
Yogyakarta, Indonesia ........................................................................36 2.4 Concluding Note ............................................................................................. 39 References ................................................................................................................ 39
The three aspects of sustainable development mentioned above often provide different, contradictory perspectives of sustainable waste management. These perspectives need to be balanced when developing and implementing sustainable waste management strategies. This “balancing” is often based on cultural values and hence needs to be done by, or at least include, local stakeholders such as politicians, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), companies, and citizens (Joseph 2006; Troschinetz and Mihelcic 2009). An example is the level of consumption in developed countries. A sustainable strategy may include lowering the level of consumption in order to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing, selling, and using products. However, in addition to the sense of status and well-being that is often associated with consumption, many business models are based on the economics of scale (selling large amounts of cheap products). New business models and a change in consumer perspectives are required for sustainable reduction of consumption and the associated waste. A second example is the need for education and health care in developing countries, which are required for the social well-being of the citizens and require the availability of products such as electricity, medicines, and medical equipment. Environmental considerations would dictate that the electricity should preferably come from renewable sources and that the environmental impact of the medicines and medical equipment should be minimized. In contrast, economic constraints may require the use of fossil-or coal-based electricity and a lack of financial motivation may hinder sustainable management of medical waste.
