Sponsor
Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning
First Advisor
Aaron Golub
Term of Graduation
Fall 2020
Date of Publication
9-21-2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Urban Studies
Department
Urban Studies and Planning
Language
English
Subjects
Plastic scrap -- Sri Lanka -- Colombo -- Management, Refuse and refuse disposal -- Sri Lanka -- Colombo, Waste minimization -- Sri Lanka -- Colombo, Refuse and refuse disposal -- Government policy -- Sri Lanka -- Colombo, Sustainability
DOI
10.15760/etd.7480
Physical Description
1 online resource (vii, 369 pages)
Abstract
Global plastic production continues to increase at an exponential pace, and global waste projections show waste generation rising by 70% by 2050. Plastic waste connects to all social processes, especially within the context of urbanization and development; urban planning and land management; GHG emissions; labor; social equity; public health; rural-to-urban migration; increasing population; increasing consumption; climate change; etc. The focus of this dissertation is an analysis of waste management practices in Sri Lanka using a grounded theory based methodology, with a goal to better understand the social and ecological impacts of plastic waste in Sri Lanka. This research fills a gap in understanding the complex social dynamics that factor into plastic management. The researcher works from the assumptions that waste is a social issue, that requires social responses that move beyond engineering and linear waste management; that designing a better or more efficient linear solid waste management system for the current realities of waste generation will only result in a continued, unsustainable waste system; and that plastics are truly a global challenge, relevant for global south contexts, and these challenges require local-appropriate solutions. The findings illuminate the network of local waste stakeholders, and highlight paths forward in waste reduction for Colombo that can lead towards a sustainable future.
Rights
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
© 2020 Katie Conlon
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/34456
Recommended Citation
Conlon, Katie Ann, "Waste Management in the Global South: an Inquiry on the Patterns of Plastic and Waste Material Flows in Colombo, Sri Lanka" (2020). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 5608.
https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.7480