PROGRAMME

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) is a growing concern in many urban areas, as improper management and disposal of HHW can have negative impacts on human health and the environment. In this respect, and within the framework of the Life Integrated Project “Circular Economy Implementation in Greece” (LIFE18 IPE/GR/000013, www.circulargreece.gr), a pilot project on development and implementation of integrated collection networks and management of HHW in the Municipality of Athens, Greece, has been developed. In particular, six actions have been designed for the separate HHW collection, while ten actions have been developed for the integrated HHW management, each focused on specific HHW categories, in accordance with the EU Waste Hierarchy. This study adopts a social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) approach to analyze the social impacts of the pilot. The study uses a company/ organizational conduct approach and follows the methodology provided by the UNEP “Guidelines for social life cycle assessment of products and organizations 2020”. A multi-step approach is followed, including a review of the national and international sustainability reports and norms, and S-LCA case studies. A survey is employed to collect preliminary inventory data from representatives from each stakeholder group. The results of the study provide insights into the social impacts of HHW collection networks and management in Athens, and can inform policy decisions to ensure safe and proper disposal of HHW. This study, through navigating the complexities of HHW management, contributes to the early stages of HHW management in Greece, serving as a case model for waste management systems in similar country contexts.