The role of policy labels, keywords and framing in transitioning waste policy

© 2016. The last decade has seen a new wave of ambitious policies in order to address the mounting ecological damage caused by high levels of consumerism and the depletion of resources to manufacture short life-cycle products. In this paper 'Zero Waste' and 'Sustainable Materials Mana...

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Main Authors: Silva, A., Stocker, L., Mercieca, P., Rosano, Michele
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2015
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/3357
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author Silva, A.
Stocker, L.
Mercieca, P.
Rosano, Michele
author_facet Silva, A.
Stocker, L.
Mercieca, P.
Rosano, Michele
author_sort Silva, A.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description © 2016. The last decade has seen a new wave of ambitious policies in order to address the mounting ecological damage caused by high levels of consumerism and the depletion of resources to manufacture short life-cycle products. In this paper 'Zero Waste' and 'Sustainable Materials Management' are examined as prominent labels of an evolving waste policy discourse towards waste prevention and reduction and material cycles. Using discourse analysis key documents are comparatively assessed, presenting the origins of these two concepts and how they entered the waste policy domain. The different framing tactics and governance models are then presented. The findings demonstrate that the different discourse paradigms around the concept of 'waste' and 'materials', influences what policy initiatives, measurement tools and outcomes are pursued. Although Zero Waste and Sustainable Materials Management are gaining popularity as indicators of shifting waste policy towards Sustainable Production and Consumption Policy, particularly with increasing discussion and application of Circular Economy governance models in Europe and China, a distinction still exists between the conceptualisation and implementation within and across the two concepts. It is in this transition towards a Circular Economy that it is valuable to review the role of policy labels, keywords and framing context in waste policy and the ability of enhanced waste management to assist in the development of more sustainable and environmentally acceptable economic and social behaviour models.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-33572017-09-13T14:39:14Z The role of policy labels, keywords and framing in transitioning waste policy Silva, A. Stocker, L. Mercieca, P. Rosano, Michele © 2016. The last decade has seen a new wave of ambitious policies in order to address the mounting ecological damage caused by high levels of consumerism and the depletion of resources to manufacture short life-cycle products. In this paper 'Zero Waste' and 'Sustainable Materials Management' are examined as prominent labels of an evolving waste policy discourse towards waste prevention and reduction and material cycles. Using discourse analysis key documents are comparatively assessed, presenting the origins of these two concepts and how they entered the waste policy domain. The different framing tactics and governance models are then presented. The findings demonstrate that the different discourse paradigms around the concept of 'waste' and 'materials', influences what policy initiatives, measurement tools and outcomes are pursued. Although Zero Waste and Sustainable Materials Management are gaining popularity as indicators of shifting waste policy towards Sustainable Production and Consumption Policy, particularly with increasing discussion and application of Circular Economy governance models in Europe and China, a distinction still exists between the conceptualisation and implementation within and across the two concepts. It is in this transition towards a Circular Economy that it is valuable to review the role of policy labels, keywords and framing context in waste policy and the ability of enhanced waste management to assist in the development of more sustainable and environmentally acceptable economic and social behaviour models. 2015 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/3357 10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.12.069 restricted
spellingShingle Silva, A.
Stocker, L.
Mercieca, P.
Rosano, Michele
The role of policy labels, keywords and framing in transitioning waste policy
title The role of policy labels, keywords and framing in transitioning waste policy
title_full The role of policy labels, keywords and framing in transitioning waste policy
title_fullStr The role of policy labels, keywords and framing in transitioning waste policy
title_full_unstemmed The role of policy labels, keywords and framing in transitioning waste policy
title_short The role of policy labels, keywords and framing in transitioning waste policy
title_sort role of policy labels, keywords and framing in transitioning waste policy
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/3357