Decentralized Composting Analysis Model—The Qualitative Analysis Path

Abstract

The organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is a significant environmental threat, and an economic and social challenge to manage. As such, the efficient treatment of OFMSW is a significant key factor in achieving sustainable waste management. Decentralized composting (DC) offers a new framework of waste management. The DC analysis model (DCAM) proposed in our previous study provides a powerful tool for decision makers, based on the quantification of the DC project characteristics. In this paper, we focus on qualitative analysis as a complementary tool to support decision making in cases where the quantitative analysis is equivocal. The qualitative analysis identifies the main players in the field, the critical stakeholders, and the potential conflicts between them. It also reveals the root problems and the core competencies for the project’s implementation. The DCAM qualitative analysis in the Shefa-Amr case study indicates that unresolved root problems, such as “lack of national regulation”, “clear ownership of the project”, and “lack of ongoing budget” can result in an unsustainable composting system. Countering that, “commitment of the municipality” together with “economic viability” and securing “suitable areas for placing composters” are among the most important core competencies for the effective implementation of DC projects.