In today's society, large quantities of products are consumed daily, generating substantial amounts of material once the products are used. In accordance with the waste hierarchy, products and materials are recovered through reuse or recycling. However, a significant amount of waste does not meet the criteria required for reuse or recycling, causing it to fall further down the hierarchy. In Sweden, we have an advanced system where what we call residual waste can be incinerated and the energy recovered. This means that residual waste still serves a purpose instead of ending up in landfills where it can cause significant harm to people and the environment. This technology plays a crucial role in our society. Unfortunately, this technology is not available in the countries where it is most needed.
As mentioned, there is knowledge in Sweden that has been transferred to developing countries with inadequate waste management to assist in their progress toward a sustainable future. This study has investigated why this is not being done regularly and why it is not implemented in regions such as West Africa, where waste management is primitive.
By examining and reviewing scientific articles, the study has identified several barriers that complicate the transfer of knowledge between knowledge holders and developing countries. Through the collection of empirical data in the form of a distributed table to three large companies, it has been clarified which barriers are considered most critical to overcome according to these companies.
Through barriers that can be linked to categories such as economic, social, technical, informational, and policy-related factors, we find numerous obstacles to an effective process for transferring sustainable environmental technology between Swedish knowledge holders and developing countries. These barriers hinder the world's ability to manage waste sustainably and meet the goals of Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement. The barriers we have managed to identify and assess in terms of their criticality with the help of companies are crucial for kickstarting the process of streamlining knowledge transfer and ultimately achieving the climate goals that have been set.
2024. , p. 39
Avfallshantering. Kunskapsöverföring. Miljöteknik.