Abstract:
Nutrient management is one of the critical challenges for developing sustainable circular economies in cities. Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from our food end up in our wastewater and pose an environmental threat when they are released in waterways. Yet, these nutrients are essential for crop production and food security. Hince human excreta contains the bulk of nutrients going through the urban ecosystem. Source separation of excreta from the rest of urban wastewater flows can enable safe and efficient nutrient recovery. Yet, source-separating wastewater systems are not yet common in urban areas. The aim of this study is to assess the legitimacy of source-separating wastewater systems from the perspective of wastewater professionals in Sweden. The study uses interviews and a survey to explore the pragmatic, normative, cognitive and regulatory dimensions of legitimacy and how these aspects can vary between different municipalities. Finally, it looks into possible knowledge-based activities to increase legitimacy. The results from this study show variations in legitimacy levels in urban areas in Sweden. Overall opinion appears to be neutral to the concept rather than negative. Although many see multiple barriers to implementation. Normative legitimacy (moral motivation) was relatively high, while cognitive legitimacy (knowledge & experiences) was lowest. Respondents from organizations where source-separation is being implemented, or they believe that it will be implemented within 10 years, generally saw more drivers and fewer barriers. These innovators were also more interested in knowledge-based activities. Overall recommendations to increase cognitive knowledge regarding source-separating systems among multiple stakeholders seems the most promising path forward to increase legitimacy in the Swedish wastewater sector.
摘要:
养分管理是城市发展可持续循环经济的关键挑战之一。食物中的氮和磷等营养素最终会进入废水中,并在水道中释放时对环境构成威胁。然而,这些营养素对作物生产和粮食安全至关重要。人类排泄物中含有大量通过城市生态系统的营养物质。将排泄物从其余城市废水流中进行来源分离可以实现安全有效的养分回收。然而,源分离废水系统在城市地区还不常见。这项研究的目的是从瑞典废水专业人员的角度评估源分离废水系统的合法性。本研究采用访谈和问卷调查的方法来探讨语用学,规范性,合法性的认知和监管层面,以及这些方面如何在不同的城市之间有所不同。最后,它研究可能的基于知识的活动,以提高合法性。这项研究的结果表明,瑞典城市地区的合法性水平存在差异。总体观点似乎对这一概念是中立的,而不是消极的。尽管许多人看到了实施的多重障碍。规范合法性(道德动机)相对较高,而认知合法性(知识和经验)最低。来自实施源分离的组织的受访者,或者他们认为它将在10年内实施,通常看到更多的司机和更少的障碍。这些创新者对基于知识的活动也更感兴趣。增加多个利益相关者之间关于源分离系统的认知知识的总体建议似乎是提高瑞典废水部门合法性的最有希望的途径。