City-Level Decoupling-Case Studies

CITY-LEVEL DECOUPLING: URBAN RESOURCE FLOWS AND THE GOVERNANCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE TRANSITIONS

In the wake of an outbreak of cholera in Brazil in 1991, the consumption of vegetables dropped sharply and there was a surplus of agricultural products in the city’s green belt. To capitalise on this opportunity, a program called “Green Exchange” ( Câmbio Verde ) was started to ensure that this food did not go to waste. The city now buys food items from regional producers at a reasonably low price, and distributes it to recycling collectors at a number of distribution points around the city. Initial tests were a great success, and the Green Exchange has now become a permanent program in Curitiba with over 80 distribution points around the city. Currently, every 4 kg of recyclable materials can be traded for 1 kg of locally cultivated seasonal produce, improving access to healthy food for the poor whilst tidying up the city. The waste management programs established in Curitiba have helped to promote a better quality of life for people living in shantytown communities and small agro-producers. In addition to improved garbage collection in areas that are difficult to access by road, the poor have benefited from improved diets and small local farmers have benefited from more stable demand for their agricultural produce. The city’s recycling initiatives have extended the life time of its landfill by diverting 2,400 m³ of recyclables each day – which represents around 25% of daily production of garbage. In the year of 2010, the regular collection of recyclables by trucks amounted to around 21,800 t, and the Green Exchange program a little more than 2500 t. The largest part of the recyclables collection – 190,000 t – was carried out by Informal collectors. Part of the revenue acquired from the recyclables is used for the maintenance of the collection process and for research, but most of it goes to Instituto Pro Cidadania de Curitiba , a Non-Governmental Organization which operates the city processing centre and promotes citizenship.

28. Socialisation of solid waste management in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

By Dr. Apiwat Ratanawaraha (Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Chulalongkorn University)

‘Socialisation of solid waste management,' as the term is used in Vietnam, indicates the active participation of community groups, cooperatives and independent collectors in managing urban solid waste systems. As Vietnam experiences rapid economic growth and a burgeoning urban population, there is an increasing amount of solid waste being generated each day in its major cities, especially in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Not only household but also industrial and medical hazardous waste is degrading urban liveability and sustainability. Uncollected solid waste poses great threats to the quality of surface and ground water, and creates health hazards to the community. The negative effects are particularly severe in areas where solid waste collection is not adequate, especially in low-income settlements and peri-urban areas where the poor live. About nine out of ten of the poorest households in Vietnamese cities do not have access to organised solid waste collection services. The government does not have sufficient financial, technical, and human resources to expand formal collection services to cover all areas, and public awareness is

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