COVID-19 and Households Waste in Hispanic America: An Assessment of Trends

Walter Leal Filho, Amanda Lange Salvia, Javier Sierra (), Carly A. Fletcher, Craig E. Banks, Luis Velazquez, Rosley Anholon, Izabela Simon Rampasso, Claudia Maclean, Jelena Barbir and Samara Neiva
Additional contact information
Walter Leal Filho: Faculty of Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, 21033 Hamburg, Germany
Amanda Lange Salvia: Graduate Program in Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo 99052-900, Brazil
Javier Sierra: Faculty of Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, 21033 Hamburg, Germany
Carly A. Fletcher: Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
Craig E. Banks: Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
Luis Velazquez: Industrial Engineering Department, University of Sonora, Hermosillo 83100, Mexico
Rosley Anholon: School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Campinas, São Paulo 13083-970, Brazil
Izabela Simon Rampasso: Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 1270709, Chile
Claudia Maclean: Centro de Investigación GAIA Antártica (CIGA), Universidad de Magallanes, Avenida Bulnes 0185, Punta Arenas 6210427, Chile
Jelena Barbir: Faculty of Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, 21033 Hamburg, Germany
Samara Neiva: Graduate Program in University Management, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, Brazil

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 24, 1-16

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many social and economic problems in Hispanic America, a region with fragile health and economic systems and many inequalities. The pandemic has negatively influenced various aspects of life and led to changes in various habits and behaviours, including consumption. However, the extent to which the pandemic has influenced households, and waste production, in particular, is not well known. In this context, this paper reports on a study aimed at identifying changes in waste production across households under the special conditions created by the pandemic in Hispanic America. The majority of the respondents stated that their level of satisfaction with waste management policies in their countries did not change much during the pandemic. Only a few stated that they were more satisfied than before. Overall, the results suggest that, like previous crises, the COVID-19 outbreak may generate changes regarding household consumption and waste management in Hispanic America. At the same time, these findings stress the need to improve waste management practices. Some measures that may be adopted to allow Hispanic American countries to better cope with increases in waste production in times of pandemics are listed.

Keywords: COVID-19; sustainability; consumption; waste management; behaviour; Latin America (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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