Investigating Solid and Liquid Waste Disposals and their Environmental Impacts: An Empirical Study of Woodlawn (South West Sydney)
1.0 Title
The working title of the research is initially drafted as Investigating Solid and Liquid Waste Disposals and their Environmental Impacts: An Empirical Study of Woodlawn (South West Sydney). The study will explore the how Woodlawn conforms to responsible waste management and the environmental consequences of the lack of effective solid and liquid waste management systems and also the treatment, disposal and disposals of these wastes. The role, functions and responsibilities of people in Woodlawn, the government and the authority having jurisdiction will also be investigated.
2.0 Background of the Study
Waste management refers to the process of collecting, transporting, processing, recycling and disposal of waste materials. Such process is usually connected with various human-related activities that generate wastes and is undertaken for the purpose of reducing its effects on health and the environment as well as to recover utilizable resources from it. Various forms of wastes are solid, liquid, gaseous or radioactive substances that are perceived to hazardous. In addition, practices and processes of treating waste management vary for developed and developing nations, for urban and rural areas and for residential and industrial.
The City of Sydney recognises the importance of its role in managing wastes and the impact that it will have on the future of Sydney. As claimed, the role transcends beyond mere domestic waste collection and disposal into encouraging people to recycle and resource recovery in reducing the amount of waste transported in landfills and making the place more sustainable. Notable is that the domestic, commercial and industrial waste as well as the littering and illegal dumping places enormous pressures on the natural environment. To manage the waste, Sydney implements the Waste Management and Minimisation Act 1995 and Waste Avoidance and Recovery Act 2001.
In the local waste management schema, South Western Sydney is taking part on this through building recycling plant at Woodlawn (Frew, 2007). The extent to which Woodlawn is participating in combating the environmental consequences of generating waste volume is unknown; this research will investigate this subject.
3.0 Objectives of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to conduct an exploratory research on the solid and liquid waste management in Woodlawn and to evaluate how this impacts the environment. To accomplish this, the research will attempt to address the following specific objectives:
§ To determine the solid and liquid waste management strategies in Woodlawn and the actions to improve such
§ To distinguish how the people and the government take their responsibility in planning, collecting, segregating, transporting and storing wastes
§ To discover the risks of improper waste disposal in Woodlawn and how this affect the environment
§ To learn the functions of waste disposal authorities and waste management policies in Woodlawn
4.0 Research Plan
This study will adapt an interpretivist approach in research using exploratory research strategy because it aims to know more about the phenomenon of solid and liquid waste management. Interpretivism is the necessary research philosophy for this study because it allows the search, of the ‘details of the situation, to understand the reality or perhaps a reality working behind them (Remenyi et al., 1998). From the interpretivist perception, it is necessary to explore the subjective meanings motivating people’s actions in order to understand their actions. The research strategy will be used as the study will involve literature review, interview of experts in the field, and survey of respondents.
The approach in the study will be using both quantitative and qualitative. As such, Primary and secondary research will be conducted in the study. In primary research, the study will survey the people of Woodlawn and will interview experts regarding the matter. A structured questionnaire will be developed and it will be used as the survey tool for the study. It is planned that the questionnaire will have a 5 point Likert Scale, as well as ranking questions. Data on both medium will be compared and evaluated using SPSS.
Aside from survey, a secondary research will also be conducted in the study. Sources in secondary research will include previous research reports, newspaper, magazine and journal content, the Internet and books. Sometimes, secondary research is required in the preliminary stages of research to determine what is known already and what new data are required, or to inform research design. Basically, interpretation will be conducted which can account as qualitative in nature.
5.0 Timetable
TASK
Month
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
Select topic
Undertake preliminary literature search
- Define research questions
- Write-up aims and objectives
Select appropriate methodology and locate sources of information. Confirm access.
Write-up Dissertation Plan
Undertake and write-up draft critical literature review.
Secondary and Primary Data Detailed
- Sources
- Consulted
Research Findings:
- Analyzed
- Evaluated
- Written-up
Discussion:
- Research findings evaluated and discussed in relation to the literature review
Methodology written-up
(including limitations and constraints)
Main body of the report written-up and checked for logical structure
- Conclusions drawn
- Recommendations made
Introduction and Executive Summary written-up
Final format and indexing
6.0 Expected Outcomes
The research shall be divided into five chapters in order to provide clarity and coherence on the discussion of the environmental effects of solid and liquid waste management in Woodlawn. The first part of the dissertation will be discussing the problem uncovered by the researcher and provide ample background of the topic. The chapter shall constitute an introduction to the whole dissertation, the hypothesis, and the statement of the problem in order to present the basis of the study. Moreover, the chapter shall also have a discussion on the scope of its study as well as the significance of the study to society in general and specific effects of corporate disclosures.
The second chapter shall be discussing the relevance of the study in the existing literature. It shall provide studies on proper waste treatment, storage and disposal and how the environment can be affected in the process. After the presentation of the existing related literature, the researcher shall provide a synthesis of the whole chapter in relation to the study.
The third part of the study shall be discussing the methods and procedures used in the study. The chapter shall comprise of the presentation of the utilized techniques for data collection and research methodology. Similarly, it shall also contain a discussion on the used techniques in data analysis as well as the tools used to acquire the said data.
The fourth chapter shall be an analysis on the tabulated data. After the said tabulation, the data are statistically treated in order to uncover the relationship of the variable involved in the study. With the said data, the chapter seeks to address the statement of the problem noted in the first chapter.
The last chapter shall comprise of three sections, the summary of the findings, the conclusions of the study, and the recommendations. With the three portions, the chapter shall be able to address the verification of the hypothesis stated in the initial chapters of the study.
7.0 References/Bibliography
Frew, W, 2007, All power to the super dump’s stench, Sydney Morning Herald Online.
Impact of Waste, City of Sydney, retrieved on 15 August 2008 from http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Environment/Waste/CurrentStatus/ImpactOfWaste.asp.
Managing Waste, City of Sydney, retrieved on 15 August 2008 from http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Environment/Waste/CurrentStatus/ManagingWaste.asp.
Remenyi, D, Williams, B, and Swartz, E 1998, Doing Research in Business Management: An Introduction to Process and Method, Sage Publications, Inc. London.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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