ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Regional Patterns in Dumping Sites
in Poland - Analysis in Context
of the New "Sustainable" Waste Policy
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Department of Spatial Econometrics, Faculty of Economics and Sociology, University of Lodz, Poland
Submission date: 2019-01-18
Final revision date: 2019-02-23
Acceptance date: 2019-04-12
Online publication date: 2019-10-24
Publication date: 2020-01-16
Corresponding author
Elżbieta Antczak
Uniwersytet Łódzki, Rewolucji 1905 r. nr 37, 90-214, Lodz, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2020;29(2):1037-1049
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ABSTRACT
This study examined the changes in spatial distribution of dumping sites in Polish districts
over the 2009-2016 in the context of the new waste management policy. The regional patterns
of dumping sites were identified using spatial concentration measures (location quotient, spatial
Gini) and the spatial interactions were explored with univariate and bivariate Moran’s I statistics.
This analysis also examined the extent to which spatial interactions took place. The number
of legal and illegal (existing and removed) dumping sites was measured per 100 km2 of the total
area of districts. Results indicated that spatial concentration of illegal dumping sites increased
noticeably in the transition period of the legislation changes (82% of Polish districts contained
illegal dumping sites). A considerably strong regional concentration of illegal dumps was observed
in rural areas, forests, northern parts of Poland and densely populated districts. Positive global
Moran’s I statistic proved the presence of clusters of districts with similar levels of dumping sites.
The local bivariate spatial analysis investigated the relation between the number of waste sites
in one location and the lag factor of dumps in nearby areas. This empirical study provides
useful data to the relevant decision makers and local governments for urban planning.