Introduction
Solid waste collection, transfer and disposal has
become a major concern in cities of Asia. In many cities conventional
systems are able to collect between 30 to 50 percent of solid wastes and
most cities these solid wastes are disposed in ways detrimental to the
environment. At the same time solid waste recycling provides jobs and
income to many of the urban poor. It is estimated that between 20 to 30
percent of the solid wastes in large Asian cities is recycled in the
informal sector. Because the conventional systems do not take the
involvement of the urban poor into account they often cause damage to the
economies and livelihoods of the poor and at the same time instead of
protecting the environment end up damaging it.
Many community based organization and non
governmental organizations have used community based approaches which
regard solid wastes as resources and have been successful in undertaking
programmes for decentralized collection and disposal. However, many of
these programmes remain at a pilot project level. Community based solid
waste programmes can also be used as an effective entry point in overall
community development programmes. There is an immediate need to document
the various approaches and programmes in the region and to develop
strategies for incorporating informal sector recycling activities and
decentralized community-based waste collection and disposal systems into
the formal solid waste management system.
OBJECTIVES
1. To document and analyze the various approaches
in community based solid waste management with the purpose of determining
their effectiveness and sustainability as well as to draw lessons from
them;
2. To develop strategies for incorporating
informal recycling and community-based efforts into the formal solid waste
management system.
3. To assist CBOs and NGOs interested in
undertaking community-based solid waste management programmes to exchange
experience and expertise;
WORK PLAN
The work plan is divided into two phases: the
preparatory phase and the component phase. The work plan of the component
phase will be determined upon the completion of the preparatory phase. The
preparatory phase is slated to start by July 2000 and will be completed by
March 2000.
PREPARATORY PHASE
1. Identification of interested cities and
organizations and regional assistance providers in solid waste management
(July to October 2000)
It is known that CITYNET and the United Nations Centre for Regional
Development, Nagoya, Japan have been working on solid waste management for
the past two years and have dealt with the issue of decentralized
community based solid waste management. Other actors in this field will be
identified and the extent of their work will be reviewed and if possible
partnerships with these organizations will be developed. In addition
several URCs and NGOS have undertaken studies and pilot projects. These
would also be identified and reviewed.
Based on the above organizations interested in
pursuing comprehensive city-wide studies that would lead to incorporation
of community based efforts and informal sector recycling in the formal
solid waste management system in 10 cities will be identified.
2. Development of guidelines on the
Preparation of City Reports on the State of Solid Waste Management (August
to October 2000)
Based on materials already collected guidelines on preparation of
comprehensive City Reports on the State of Solid Waste Management will be
prepared by the core group of ITS-Surabaya, SEVANATHA and URC Karachi. The
Guidelines will assist participating organizations in understanding and
documenting the existing linkages between the informal recycling sector
and the formal solid waste management sector as well as documenting and
critically examining the viability and sustainability of existing
community-based approaches in their cities.
3.Preparation of City Reports on the State of
Solid Waste Management (November 2000 to March 2001)
Before the city reports are prepared a consultative meeting of
participating organizations would be held in the last week of November
2000 at Bangkok to discuss the issues involved, possible approaches and
strategies and to finalize the Guidelines.
4. Regional Workshop on Solid Waste Management
(Surabaya last week of March 2000) The regional workshop will discuss
the issues emerging from the City Reports and develop an action-plan for
supporting country level actions on solid waste management. Follow-up
actions would be determined and planned at this workshop.
