Practices in waste management in the context of sustainable development and of circular economy

Human activities inevitably lead to waste generation, therefore the concern for the environment remains relevant. For a long time, waste management was limited to collection, transportation and disposal, and with time only the focus shifted for selective waste collection and then recycling. The main cause for the problem was the linear economic system operated for many years, entailing resource depletion, significant stress on the environment, and climate change. As a result, the circular economy (closed-loop economy), which treats waste products not as garbage but as production resource, has recently become high on the political agenda. In this regard, it is worthwhile to study and analyze international practices in waste management, since it can be useful for developing strategies to improve the waste management system aimed at achieving the goals of sustainable development and the circular economy.