The sheer volume of waste is one of the
prime concerns in zero waste cities. Therefore, introducing
mechanisms to avoid, minimize or prevent the creation
of waste is one of the key challenges for all urban
precincts. Sustainable product design and product stewardship
could significantly reduce the waste volume
during the up-cycling stage of waste generation. Radical
waste reduction poses a potential threat for certain
waste treatment technologies; for instance, the existing
incineration plants constantly require huge amounts of
waste to operate and to burn to generate energy, so a
significant reduction of waste volume poses a potential
threat to incineration technology