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

inefficient and have dirty diesel engines that break down regularly. Replacement parts are hard to find.

stream, mainly because the volumes are too small. The municipal level recognizes waste as a resource mainly for the informal sector. So-called social entrepreneurs and scrap dealers understand the value of waste, but their earnings are unknown. The streets of Thimphu are much cleaner now and less waste is visible in neighbourhoods. While this is positive, it is causing Thimphu’s inhabitants to assume that waste generation is not a significant issue. This assumption, combined with the authorities’ belief that there is little revenue to be earned within the waste sector, is contributing to a laissez-faire attitude towards both the informal sector and private waste companies.

Bhutan

The national and municipal level administrators acknowledge that waste management in Bhutan needs improvement and have expressed their willingness to do so. However, resources are often lacking and even if the urgency is high, an integrated plan and proper assessment are needed to ensure that measures are not stand-alone and do not have any adverse effects in the long-term.

National policymakers do not yet recognize waste as a resource, nor do they see it as a potential revenue

Waste snapshot, Thimphu

The most recent analysis of waste management is summarized in the baseline study which was compiled within the framework of the Waste and Climate Change project, funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) (WWF Bhutan 2018). However, it should be noted that the baseline study concentrates on household waste. Information on all other municipal waste is mostly qualitative. Since there is no comprehensive database on waste available, the data are unreliable and are not disaggregated by gender. • Municipal solid waste generation in Thimphu has increased, reaching 0.35 kg per person per day. More than half of this is organic waste. • Waste collection has improved drastically in recent years because of outsourcing to private companies. • Wet and dry waste are segregated at the source, though some becomes mixed at the landfill site as large-scale composting does not exist. Hazardous waste and some medical waste also end up at the landfill. • Thimphu generates around 40.3 tons of municipal solid waste per day.

• E-waste from households ends up in repair/ second-hand shops or with scrap dealers. E-waste from government departments is auctioned – after it is sold, it is not clear where it ends up, but it is possibly sold in India.

• There are not enough vehicles to carry out more segregation at the source.

• There is increasingly more segregation at transfer stations before waste reaches the landfill.

• Thimphu landfill has long passed its maximum capacity.

• Private companies are mostly in charge of collection and segregation.

• Some recyclables are used inside Bhutan, others are sold in India.

• Scrap dealers are mostly in charge of selling waste.

• Collection trucks are old, dirty (high emissions from diesel engines) and break down often – parts are hard to obtain.

• Increased urbanization and consumption will increase the waste stream.

• The authorities have not made an assessment on the value of waste and waste flows.

• Some composting takes place, but this could be increased.

• Most people do not understand the risks associated with bad waste management and think it is limited to proper collection and clean streets.

• Construction waste is transported to a dedicated dumpsite.

Gender and waste nexus

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