To understand the real impact that innovative policy measures have on the effectiveness and sustainability of waste management procedures, the five partners of the SMART WASTE project chose one policy instrument to be assessed and improved. For this exercise, the Municipality of Kolding has evaluated its Municipal Waste Management Plan 2022 – 2030. The result of this activity is now available.
The report explains how the evaluation process has been carried out in several steps, ensuring that projects and activities in future waste management plans are based on real needs, increasing understanding, improving communication, broadening the scope of people and organizations involved and resource management. The model developed in the framework of SMART WASTE project has been used, adding some additional questions. As shown in the report, the evaluation did highlight three key areas of improvement:
- Design and stakeholder inclusion.
- Framework for project execution and evaluation.
- Focus on circular economy.
All three key areas are mitigated in Kolding’s new Waste Management Plan, which also incorporates the municipality’s Circular Economy Strategy.
Along with the Waste Management Plan, a tool called “The project kit” has been developed. The tool is aimed to secure essential information for projects’ execution and evaluation. In this way, instead of being focused on waste management only, the Plan’s focus is now threefold, in accordance with the waste hierarchy:
- Better waste sorting (waste management and recycling)
- Produce less waste (recycling, repairing and maintaining)
- Better consumption (prevention of waste)
Among the next steps listed in the report, Kolding plans to develop the Waste Management Plan even more and convert all the great feedback received into realizable goals and projects. In addition, “The project kit” will be improved to secure its continuous use in the organization as a tool that anyone can use for improving strategic development regardless of previous level of experience and professional background. The Waste Management Plan is expected to be ready by September 2022 and completed between 2026 and 2030 (when its overall impact will be evaluated).
Read the full version of the report prepared by Kolding here.
More articles on the policy improvement implemented by Kolding could be found below:
- Kolding on its way to a new waste management plan
- Kolding’s take on integrative project frameworks
- Kolding’s design approach to policy instruments
