Developing a practical framework for use in the separation of aluminium waste from restaurants and estimation of potential benefits

Abstract

Population growth, urbanization and technological progress have resulted in an increased generation of various types of wastes. However, a series of different techniques have been developed for use in the segregation of waste components, with waste being separated either at source or at the disposal site. In Iran, waste separation at the disposal site is more popular than source separation due to a lack of public collaboration. The city of Sari is located in the northern part of Iran and is the largest and the most populous city in Mazandaran province. Per capita waste generation in Sari city is 1 kg/person-1 day-1. Due to a high population density but also to the presence of tourist attractions, a significant amount of waste is generated in the city, particularly by restaurants. Whilst the majority of wastes generated is constituted by aluminium drink cans, this study aims to develop a practical framework for the source separation of aluminium waste and to estimate the advantages represented by recovery. Data were collected from 25 restaurants by means of questionnaires and interviews. The results showed that the majority of restaurant owners and staff had been made aware of the need for source separation of waste via social media. However, no source separation had been implemented. The pilot study showed how approx. 320 million USD could be obtained through the recovery of aluminium waste produced by the restaurants studied per year.