Overcoming Challenges to Zero Waste in Massachusetts: Analysis and Recommendations

The "Massachusetts 2010-2020 Solid Waste Master Plan, Pathway to Zero Waste" identified zero waste as a statewide goal with both environmental and economic development benefits. Zero waste is a newer vision formulated in the last two decades that proposes re-organizing linear waste management of extraction→production→consumption→disposal into circular economic cycles of resource→production→consumption→resource. In part, zero waste helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and toxic pollution from the current system. The purpose of this thesis was to identify barriers and challenges to zero waste in Massachusetts and gather legislative and economic strategies to overcome these barriers through evaluating successful zero waste initiatives throughout the United States.