Climbing the waste hierarchy with stakeholder engagement and tariffs in urban waste management: A case study

This study investigates the role of stakeholder engagement practices and user-oriented approaches in enhancing urban waste management outcomes. We examined the impact of awareness-raising campaigns and pay-as-you-throw tariffs on waste reduction and separate collection within an Italian waste utility. The utility employed a collaborative approach, engaging experienced professionals from leading municipalities, utilities, regulators, and consulting firms. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, encompassing qualitative data from interviews and quantitative data analysis, we found that a multifaceted engagement strategy effectively contributed to climbing the waste hierarchy. This was evidenced by a significant reduction in unsorted waste and an increase in separate collection rates.