Using the waste Kuznet's curve to explore regional variation in the decoupling of waste generation and socioeconomic indicators

Madden, B; Florin, N; Mohr, S; Giurco, D

Using the waste Kuznet's curve to explore regional variation in the decoupling of waste generation and socioeconomic indicators

Madden, B

Florin, N

Mohr, S Giurco, D

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2019, 149 pp. 674 - 686
Issue Date:: 2019-10-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Madden, B https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9167-8535	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Florin, N https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8436-4711	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Mohr, S	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Giurco, D https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1707-9531	en_US
dc.date.issued	2019-10-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2019, 149 pp. 674 - 686	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0921-3449	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/138542
dc.description.abstract	© 2019 Decoupling of resource consumption from economic growth is a key principle in the transition towards a circular economy. This study explores regional variation in the decoupling of waste generation from mean income in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), following the Waste Kuznet's curve (WKC) hypothesis. The WKC hypothesis tests for the existence of a relationship between waste and economic indicators conforming to an inverted-U shape that may indicate decoupling. A geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model is used to test the WKC hypothesis for municipal waste from 2011 to 2015. We identify municipalities conforming to the WKC hypothesis, and examine the socioeconomic and urban morphological characteristics of these municipalities. Results show that waste policy must be targeted to consider local variability in socioeconomics. Municipalities across rural NSW were found to conform to the WKC over the time frame. WKC-conforming municipalities had higher per-capita rates of waste generation, and lower mean incomes compared to non-conforming municipalities. Ratios of tipping point (global maximum) to mean income for WKC conforming municipalities were estimated between 0.8 and 2, indicating that these municipalities are in stages of relative, rather than absolute, decoupling. This study demonstrates the application of the WKC for examining decoupling, and highlights the importance of considering variations in regional characteristics when assessing the decoupling of waste generation from income. Findings also broadly suggest regionally specific policy making is required for circular economy transitions in NSW.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Resources, Conservation and Recycling	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.06.025	en_US
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences	en_US
dc.title	Using the waste Kuznet's curve to explore regional variation in the decoupling of waste generation and socioeconomic indicators	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	149	en_US
utslib.for	0502 Environmental Science and Management	en_US
utslib.for	0102 Applied Mathematics	en_US
utslib.for	05 Environmental Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	09 Engineering	en_US
utslib.for	12 Built Environment and Design	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)/Institute For Sustainable Futures
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - ISF - Institute for Sustainable Futures
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
utslib.copyright.embargo	2021-10-01T00:00:00+1000
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	149	en_US

Abstract:

© 2019 Decoupling of resource consumption from economic growth is a key principle in the transition towards a circular economy. This study explores regional variation in the decoupling of waste generation from mean income in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), following the Waste Kuznet's curve (WKC) hypothesis. The WKC hypothesis tests for the existence of a relationship between waste and economic indicators conforming to an inverted-U shape that may indicate decoupling. A geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model is used to test the WKC hypothesis for municipal waste from 2011 to 2015. We identify municipalities conforming to the WKC hypothesis, and examine the socioeconomic and urban morphological characteristics of these municipalities. Results show that waste policy must be targeted to consider local variability in socioeconomics. Municipalities across rural NSW were found to conform to the WKC over the time frame. WKC-conforming municipalities had higher per-capita rates of waste generation, and lower mean incomes compared to non-conforming municipalities. Ratios of tipping point (global maximum) to mean income for WKC conforming municipalities were estimated between 0.8 and 2, indicating that these municipalities are in stages of relative, rather than absolute, decoupling. This study demonstrates the application of the WKC for examining decoupling, and highlights the importance of considering variations in regional characteristics when assessing the decoupling of waste generation from income. Findings also broadly suggest regionally specific policy making is required for circular economy transitions in NSW.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/138542