Waste as resource in the "age of austerity". Sustainable development and circular economy in local communities. A case study.

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Research aimThe main aims of this project are: to understand the role of waste1 (Thompson 1979) in a community affected by the economiccrisis ("age of austerity", Streeck and Schafer 2013); to study a community organization in a context of transformation promoted by a process ofre-thinking of waste as community resources.My research is an ethnographic engagement related to the concepts of "sustainable development","circular economy" and "waste studies" (O'Brien 2008). Since 2012, the EU commission hasproposed several legislative amendments about resources and waste management (Gregsonet.al.2015), introducing the idea of "circular economy" (European Commission 2014). This idea1 I will take into consideration mostly households waste with exception for pulper waste from paper mills' residuals.refers to an economy premised on keeping resources in circulation for as long as possible and soaims to eradicate waste. This "long term solution" is defined as "sustainable" development (Miller2012). In this context, wastes are considered useful materials in order to partially reduce theEuropean demand for natural resources. To consider wastes as resources is important to think thoseas materials (e.g.paper). These materials have monetary value if categorized and sold separately.