Municipal Waste Management and Life Quality: Sustainable Development of Local Communities in Małopolska and Podkarpacie

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1 Municipal Waste Management and Life Quality: Sustainable Development of Local Communities in Małopolska and Podkarpacie Katarzyna Nieszporek Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, Krakow, The modern educational system in addition to the traditional formal education focuses on enabling individuals and social groups in the various forms of school education. These forms have been increasingly used in the activities of local government units, including the environment issues. In most cases, these are organized on a small, but effective, scale, because they are planned for a specific audience and a specific problem-oriented theme. A choice of methods to carry out these activities often depends on local governments, who possess the best knowledge about the specifics of the area. Greater opportunities for the implementation of environmental tasks occur through associations of boroughs. Municipalities may apply for joint domestic and international infrastructure project financing important for each municipality belonging to the association of local authorities. In Poland, there are currently 35 associations of municipalities, for which the first priority is the implementation of tasks in order to improve the quality of the natural environment and implement the principles of sustainable development, including municipal waste management. This paper examines the involvement of municipalities - members of associations in improving the quality of local environment, and thus increase the quality of life of local communities. Based on data for two rapidly acting associations (Związek Gmin Górnej Raby i Krakowa in Malopolska voivodship and Związek Gmin Dorzecza Wisłoki in Podkarpacie voivodship), we exemplify two different natural environments, different activities, forms of information and education to improve the efforts, in terms of the local natural environment as undertaken by local government units. Keywords: municipal waste management, associations of municipalities, sustainable development Współczesny system edukacyjny oprócz tradycyjnej edukacji formalnej stawia na włączanie jednostek i grup społecznych w różne formy edukacji pozaszkolnej. Formy te coraz powszechniej stosowane są w działaniach jednostek samorządu terytorialnego, w tym na rzecz środowiska naturalnego. W większości przypadków są to działania organizowane na małą skalę, ale skuteczne, bo zaplanowane dla konkretnej grupy odbiorców i zorientowane na określony problem tematyczny. Dobór metod do prowadzenia niniejszych działań zależy najczęściej od samorządów lokalnych, posiadających najlepszą wiedzę o specyfice danego obszaru. Większe możliwości na realizację postawionych sobie zadań środowiskowych i większe szanse na powodzenie ich przeprowadzenia mają gminy zrzeszone w związkach gmin. Gminy te mogą występować o wspólne projekty infrastrukturalne z funduszy krajowych i zagranicznych na finansowanie działań ważnych z punktu widzenia każdej gminy należącej do danego związku gmin. W Polsce obecnie istnieje 35 komunalnych związków gmin, dla który podstawowym priorytetem jest realizacja zdań międzygminnych w celu poprawy stanu środowiska przyrodniczego i wdrożenia zasad zrównoważonego rozwoju, w tym gospodarki odpadami komunalnymi. Niniejsza praca bada zaangażowanie gmin zrzeszonych w związki gmin komunalnych w działania na rzecz poprawy stanu lokalnego środowiska przyrodniczego, a przez to poprawy jakości życia lokalnych społeczności. Na podstawie analizy danych zastanych do badań włączono prężnie działający Związek Gmin Dorzecza Górnej Raby i Krakowa z województwa małopolskiego oraz Związek Gmin Dorzecza Wisłoki z województwa podkarpackiego stanowiące przykład działań na rzecz lokalnego środowiska przyrodniczego. Jest to ewaluacja różnych działań i form informacyjno-edukacyjnych na rzecz poprawy lokalnego środowiska przyrodniczego podejmowanych przez jednostki samorządu terytorialnego. Słowa kluczowe: gospodarka odpadami komunalnymi, związki gmin, zrównoważony rozwój Małopolska and Podkarpacie 42

2 Introduction According to the amendment to the Polish waste legislation, which has been executed since January 1, 2013, the local governments became responsible for municipal waste in their areas. At the same time, policy makers became responsible for developing waste management plans. The search for new solutions to the problems of waste, is in line with the principles of sustainable development as defined by the following policy guidelines of the European Union. EU Framework Directive defines the hierarchy of methods for how waste is to be managed (Fig. 1). Figure 1. The waste utilization hierarchy (the development of their own based on Ernst & Young, 2011) The EU Member States wishing to follow this scheme must provide appropriate national regulations regarding waste management and organize a complex system of waste collection and disposal. In Poland, the changes in the waste law introduced in , includes this scheme for sustainable development policy. Municipalities are obliged by the end of 2020, to reduce by at least 50%, municipal waste such as paper, metal, plastic and glass by re-using and recycling. To achieve these goals, municipalities need, as defined in the Act of July 2011, to maintain cleanliness and order in municipalities, and through other acts, to conduct information and educational activities in the field of waste management, to various groups of the public. (Dz.U., 2011 No. 152, item. 897). A survey developed for the Ministry of the Environment (2011) shows that not all residents have had a chance to join the system of selective collection of waste. In 2008, just 23% of municipalities have not conducted, or carried on a limited scale, such activities. Creating the conditions for the selective collection and reception of waste should be carried out in conjunction with activities related to raising public awareness. Informing the local community about the principles and forms of collecting various types of waste can be a task of municipalities, conducted individually or jointly with other municipalities, as part of the municipal associations. An association of municipalities is created by local municipalities, under the provisions of the Act of 8 March 1990, and the Local Government, to undertake joint public activities including improvement of the natural environment. Municipalities are eligible to apply for joint projects, with domestic and foreign funds, to finance activities of importance to each municipality belonging to the Association. In Poland, there are 35 municipal associations of municipalities, for which the priority is the implementation of incentives in order to improve the environment and implement the Biology International Vol Nieszporek

3 principles of sustainable development, including waste management. The activities of local governance Our study included the rapidly developing Związek Gmin Dorzecza Górnej Raby i Krakowa in Malopolska voivodship, and, Związek Gmin Dorzecza Wisłoki in Podkarpacie voivodship. Based on an analysis of our data, we present examples of various activities, forms of information and education to improve the local environment as undertaken by these local government units (Grodzińska-Jurczak et al., 2006; 2010; 2011). Using qualitative research, and in-depth analysis of the problem, we selected municipalities from two associations of Carpathian municipalities. We conclude that the actions taken by small municipalities are rather ineffective. The activities planned by a number of municipalities have possibly a greater chance of success both in achieving educational results, and, obtaining funding from external resources. The involvement of communities in efforts to improve their local environment, and thus improve the quality of life, is significantly dependent on information and education campaigns. Various forms of extracurricular activities, including information and education campaigns, have been increasingly used in the activities of local governments, and these have included a focus on the environment (Nieszporek and Grodzińska-Jurczak, 2013). Well-planned activities are effective because they are targeted to a specific audience (Heberlein, 2012). Although there is no doubt that local communities involvement in waste management is crucial, its effectiveness depends mainly on the type and methods of communication used. More inquisitive approaches, rather than traditionally common public hearings, have proved to be effective in leading to social acceptability of the proposed new policy (Timlett and Williams, 2011). The effectiveness of the action taken in connection with the EU requirements, in the field of waste management, depends not only on the business industry and infrastructure, but also, to a large extent, on individual consumers. The effectiveness of waste separation depends on the degree to which there is public acceptance of the waste policy (Laurian and Shaw, 2009). In addition, public engagement in specific solutions and effective participation is reliant on good information and ease of use. The key to success is to change social behavior, which should be accompanied by not only the appropriate information campaign, but also the development of a system for collection of various types of waste. A range of external variables (i.e., financial incentives, availability of good information, and the organisation of a local infrastructure for separate collection) (De Young, 1989: Judge and Becker, 1993), relating to environment, can resume the adoption of the principles of rational waste management (Fenech, 2002; Shaw and Maynard, 2008). Local human development Thanks to the support of the European Union, funding disparities between regions is reduced. "National Human Development Report. Regional and local development "(2012) analyzes local development in terms of health, education and wealth of the inhabitants. For the analysis, the local index of social development (Local Human Development Index - LHDI) was used. This enables us to study socio-economic development at the national level. In Małopolska and Podkarpacie 44

4 particular, we can analyze public policies that focus on the development of human and social capital, and sustainable development at the regional level, innovation, and, improving the quality of life. The basic unit of analysis is the development of the local district. In order to determine the coefficient on education (EI), we assumed that the national gymnasium test, particularly its key - science part, could be compared on a national scale. In our report, the welfare index (WI) indicates the amount of taxable income, income from agriculture, the total expenditure on social assistance, and, other tasks of social policy (e.g. family policy), which were included in the budgets of local (municipal and county) government. However, the health factor (HI) is calculated as the average life expectancy of a newborn, and the number of deaths due to cancer and cardiovascular disease. Surveyed municipalities are in the four counties Podkarpacie and five counties Małopolska. Indicators of social development of these districts are shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 Local Social Development (National Human Development Report Poland 2012): LHDI Local Human Development Index HI Health Index EI Education Index WI Welfare Index LEIPIi Local Expeditures Index Policy Input Biology International Vol Nieszporek

5 A nationwide poll by TNS Poland showed that 69% of respondents believe that municipalities do not lead promotional and educational activities on the management of waste (Figure 3). These studies support our conclusions based on the analysis of indepth interviews in the surveyed municipalities of Lesser Poland and Subcarpathian province. When asked about the causes of not selecting the wastes the most frequent answer was a lack of bins in the area. For the same reasons, nearly 60% of people in TNS Poland, in 2012, and 11% of the population in Jaslo, did not, in fact, separate wastes. However, nearly one-fourth of the respondents by TNS Poland (29%) indicated a lack of space at home as a main reason for no separation. Accordingly, in Jaslo the lack of space in the house was identified by 11% of respondents. The results show that the main barrier to waste sorting was due to external causes, mainly the lack of adequate infrastructure. Satisfactory is that this infrastructure slowly, but steadily is getting better. On the basis of the study of selected communities in the Carpathian region, it can be said that information and education activities, organized on a small scale, are effective, because they are usually targeted to a specific audience and a specific problem-oriented theme. The choice of methods to carry out these actions depends mostly on local governments, which have the best knowledge about the specifics of the area. Information and education campaigns in the management of municipal waste can bring good results when they are engaged in. There is a huge effect of educational information campaigns when they are conducted in schools. Knowledge is conveyed not only to students, but also to their families, and a joint participation in ongoing projects results in promising effects. References De Young, R. (1989). Exploring the differences between recyclers and nonrecyclers: the role of information. Journal of Environmental Systems 18, Dyrektywa Parlamentu Europejskiego i Rady 2008/98/WE z dnia 19 listopada 2008 r. w sprawie odpadów. Fenech, M. (2002). Understanding public participation in source separation of waste. Implications for the implementation of waste management policies with particular focus on Malta and Sweden. IIIEE Reports, KFS AB, Lund, Sweden, 74. Figure 3. In the last year, said (a) you (i) carried out by the municipality of information and education on the proper management of waste? (TNS, 2012). Gabryś, A. & D. Sudomir. (2011). Kluczowe wyzwania w gospodarce odpadami komunalnymi w krajach UE-11, Ernst & Young, Warszawa Małopolska and Podkarpacie 46

6 Grodzińska-Jurczak, M., M. Tarabuła- Fiertak, K. Nieszporek, A. Pietrzyk. (2010). Jak wspólnie gospodarować odpadami? Kampania informacyjnoedukacyjna na terenie Związku Gmin Dorzecza Wisłoki. Lider, Jasło, 46 pp. Grodzińska-Jurczak, M., P. Tomal, M. Tarabuła-Fiertak, K. Nieszporek, A.D. Read. (2006). Effects o fan educational campaign on public environmental attitudes and behaviour in Poland. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 46 (2006), Grodzińska-Jurczak, M., M. Tarabula- Fiertak, A. Pietrzyk. (2011). Próby rozwiązywania problemów w gospodarce odpadami komunalnymi. Edukacja biologiczna i środowiskowa innowacje Inspiracje 2 (38): Heberlein, T.A. (2012). Navigating Environmental Attitudes. Oxford University Press. Judge, R. & A. Becker. (1993). Motivating recycling: a marginal costs analysis. Contemporary Policy Issues 11, Laurian, L. & M.M. Shaw. (2009). Evaluation of Public participation: The practices of certified planners. Journal of Planning Education and Research 28, Ministerstwo Środowiska. (2011). Nowa regulacja rynku odpadów komunalnych skuteczność i efektywność. Warszawa. [ y/userfiles/files/publikacje/opracowania_ analizy/opracowanie_regulacja_rynku_o dpadow_komunalnych_wersja_i.2011_r..pdf]. Nieszporek K. & M. Grodzińska-Jurczak. (2013). Role of local governments in Non-Formal Education. In: Science, Society, Didactics (by edited K. Potyrała and E. Rożej-Pabijan). Uniwersytet Pedagogiczny, Kraków. Read, A.D. (2001). Public communication campaigns and effective participation in kerbside recycling; lessons from London. Proceedings of ISWA 2001, Stavanger, Norway, Read, M., M.K. Gregory, P.S. Phillips. (2009). An evaluation of four key methods for monitoring household waste prevention campaigns in the UK. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 54, Shaw, P. J. & S.J. Maynard. (2008). The potential of financial incentives to enhance householders curbside recycling behavior. Waste Management 28 (10): Timlett, R. & I.D. Willimas. (2011). The ISB model (infrastructure, service, behaviour): A tool for waste practitioners. Waste Management 6: TNS Polska. (2012). Badanie świadomości i zachowań ekologicznych mieszkańców Polski. Raport TNS Polska dla Ministerstwa Środowiska. Warszawa. [ 037ac ccafce588677c.p df]. United Nations Development Programme. (2012). Krajowy Raport o Rozwoju Społecznym Polska Rozwój regionalny i lokalny. Warszawa. Biology International Vol Nieszporek

7 Ustawa z dnia 1 lipca (2011) r. o zmianie ustawy o utrzymaniu czystości i porządku w gminach oraz niektórych innych ustaw (Dz. U nr 152, poz. 897). Ustawa z dnia 8 marca 1990 r. o samorządzie gminnym (Dz.U. z 2001 nr 142 poz. 1591, brzmienie od 15 lutego 2013). Katarzyna Nieszporek - employee of the Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University. The theme of the research is public participation in waste management and the participation of local authorities in their efforts to improve the natural environment, environmental education, environmental awareness children, young people and residents of protected areas. She is the author of works presenting the results of research conducted with the use of new media, focusing primarily on the assessment of students' knowledge of the environment in terms of waste management. Co-author and leading workshops in the field of environmental protection (including waste management), intended for children, young people and teachers. It is the performer of research and education projects in the field of social aspects of environmental protection and waste management funded by national and foreign. Małopolska and Podkarpacie 48