Gender and Waste Nexus: Experiences from Bhutan, Mongolia and Nepal

Mongolia

Photo by Joni Seager.

Waste snapshot, Ulaanbaatar

There is no comprehensive database on waste in Ulaanbaatar and statistics vary widely depending on the source. However, a snapshot of the most recent data show: • As of 2015, Ulaanbaatar generates about 1 million tons of waste a year. This is a sharp increase from the early 2000s when only around 200,000 tons of waste were generated per year (Asian Institute of Technology 2016). • A 2018 study on waste composition (see Figures 4 and 5) found that the largest waste components in Ulaanbaatar are food waste and ash, which echoes the findings of other reports. • Consumption in Ulaanbaatar is rapidly rising as Mongolia becomes more globalized and part of global circuits of capital, following the explosive increase in transnational extractive and mining industries. Several access these districts. Waste collection in ger districts therefore only takes place once or twice a month on average and does not always cover entire areas. The infrequent and somewhat unpredictable nature of the ger waste collection process is contributing to an illegal dumping problem. • Household waste accounts for about 50 per cent of Ulaanbaatar’s total waste stream.

individuals interviewed for this study reported that an increase in waste is seen as a sign of affluence and were of the perspective that consuming more is better, and that littering is a right and expression of freedom. • There are three authorized open-waste dumpsites (landfills) in Ulaanbaatar, as well as four illegal dumpsites that have been officially recorded (Asian Institute of Technology 2016). However, the actual number of illegal dumpsites is unknown, as many small, local, informal dumpsites have also been found in ravines and streambeds throughout ger districts. • In Ulaanbaatar, there is no formal recycling collection system or large-scale processing facility, and all waste is therefore mixed. A few small private recycling companies have established collection points and facilities, and a considerable share of recyclables is shipped to China. In January 2018, the Chinese Government enacted global restrictions on plastic imports, which is problematic for Mongolian waste handlers and recyclers, as Mongolia has a limited domestic market for recyclables. Apartment buildings in Ulaanbaatar’s city centre, inwhich 40 per cent of the population resides, have their own challenges. Most old buildings built during the Soviet era have convenient waste chutes on each floor, a feature that newer buildings tend to lack,which are typicallybuiltwithout an internal waste management plan. Rather, waste bins are

24 Gender and waste nexus