Employing circular economy approach for OFMSW management within the Mediterranean countries
Hundreds of local open markets are distributed across the Mediterranean region. Local open market waste management, which represents a big challenge for the area, is directly affected by population growth and concentration, urbanization and tourism. For instance, the waste flow rate varies from 3 to 5 and 10 to 12 tons per day in the open markets located in Sfax (Tunisia) and Amman (Jordan), respectively. In view of the large influx of inhabitants expected in urban areas (72% of the population of the Mediterranean region will probably be living in urban areas in 2025), the sustainable management of waste in markets is now a priority. CEOMED aims to reduce municipal waste generation, promote source-separated collection and the optimal exploitation of the organic component by recovering energy and recycling nutrients. Additionally, the project will train local stakeholders, i.e. consumers, sellers, the informal sector of waste collecting, scholars, farmers, technical and administrative staff, to make sure they have the knowledge and skills to contribute to improving waste management.