The Waste Flow Diagram (WFD) estimates the amount of solid waste entering nature and the oceans from various sources. A scenario function is used to simulate how improved waste management could reduce pollution and prevent marine litter.
The User Manual provides an explanation of the WFD toolkit and in-depth guidance on how to apply it. This includes information on data collection issues, how to estimate plastic leakages, how to run scenarios, and how to visualise the waste flows. Decision trees and descriptive tables for each part of the solid waste management system facilitate the calculation of leakage potentials.
This guide is designed to help you navigate and effectively use the WFD Data Portal. It covers the essential steps for getting started, including registration, viewing and comparing case studies, inputting your own data to create new studies, and utilizing the scenario function.
Data collection and access is a particular challenge for any data driven approach. To ease data collection and support use of additional data sets along WFD assessment, this data catalogue and mapping provide an overview of relevant data driven approaches and data sets in the field of circular economy and marine litter monitoring.
The measures catalogue provides guidance on how to reduce plastic leakage from solid waste management systems. It uses the WFD to provide a logical framework to tackle plastic leakage from SWM systems and helps pinpoint aspects that can be improved to reduce plastic leakage at each stage of the value and service chains. It guides the user, allowing you to identify which areas within the SWM chain require intervention, whether that be from uncollected waste, the collection service, informal value-chain collection, formal sorting, informal sorting, transportation, or disposal facilities.
Several plastic pollution assessment tools have been developed in recent years, each using slightly different methodological approaches and therefore offering different benefits. You can find out more about the differences between the tools and the synergy of the waste flow diagram with other plastic pollution assessment tools here.
The Waste Flow Diagram (WFD) estimates the amount of solid waste entering nature and the oceans from various sources. A scenario function is used to simulate how improved waste management could reduce pollution and prevent marine litter.