Društvo otpada / Waste Society

Abstract

The book Waste Society theoretically and empirically examines the
waste management system using the example of the city of Zagreb from
a sociological and bioethical perspective. The aim of the book is to identify the main social relations that influence the perception of waste and its
treatment, and to provide a sociologically grounded answer to the questions
about the social relations between the groups of actors important for the
waste management system and within these groups, about the correspondence of the normative and value framework with the actual state of the
waste management system in Zagreb, and about the correspondence of the
normative framework with the principles of ecological, economic and social
sustainability. In addition, an answer is sought to the question of what is the
optimal, long-term sustainable and equitable solution for dealing with waste
in the City of Zagreb and the Republic of Croatia.
The book consists of three main parts: (1) theoretical framework, (2)
multi-level analysis of normative documents, and (3) presentation and analysis of the results of empirical research. The theoretical part of the paper
problematizes sociological and bioethical concepts and theses on waste,
mainly from the fields of sociology of risk, urban sociology, social ecology, and integrative bioethics. The normative framework is analysed using
the qualitative content analysis method, selecting the main strategic, planning and legal documents on waste at European, national and city levels.
The analysis revealed that the local and national normative documents are
derived from the European normative framework, but also that they are not
fully consistent and not fully in line with the latest European principles of
waste management. The empirical research was conducted using the qualitative method of semi-structured interviews with key actors of the waste
management system in Zagreb. 30 key actors participated in the research,
divided into 5 groups (professional, political, management, media and civil
actors). It was found that there is a latent social conflict between the groups
of key actors, but also within these groups. The most pronounced conflict is
between political and civil actors, and the most positive relation is between
civil actors and the media. Participants’ views on the waste management294
system in Zagreb are heterogeneous, but they all agree that the system needs
to be improved and that there is a need for systematic public education on
these issues at all levels of education, through the media and other forms of
education. A long-term and sustainable solution can only be achieved if the
opinions of experts are respected, a dialog is established between key stakeholders, a broad social consensus is reached on the importance of this issue,
and a systematic and consistent model of waste management is adopted