Exploring Enablers and Barriers to Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Management Technologies Adoption in the Kingdom of Bahrain: A Recent Study

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) becomes a point of focus globally due to its harmful effects on the environment and human health if it is not managed properly. MSW was proved globally to be used as a resource, and it has a major opportunity in the realm of conversion technologies. Accordingly, this study aims to explore the enablers and barriers to six different MSW management (MSWM) technologies adopted in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in order to ensure the successful adoption of these technologies that are Anaerobic Digestion (AD), Incineration, Pyrolysis, Gasification, Composting and Re-fused Derived Fuel (RDF). This study provides sufficient information to the decision and policy-makers for the processes of selection and adoption of the MSWM technologies in Bahrain, using a qualitative approach “mainly semi-structured interviews” with experts and then Thematic Analysis using nvivo12 software. The results show that the main themes that enablers and barriers fall under are: political (e.g. national waste management strategy), technical (e.g. segregation at source), managerial (e.g. capacity building), social (e.g. public awareness), economic (e.g. incentives to investment) and environmental (e.g. air quality). It is highly recommended to focus on reducing, reuse and recycle principle, as the best way to manage waste in Bahrain. In addition, source segregation must be applied; as a starting point. This study concluded that in order to succeed in the MSWM technologies adoption, the resulted barriers should be over-come. Furthermore, Incineration was recommended as the best solution to manage MSW which has the least barriers and most enablers in Bahrain as per the experts.