Waste Management Outlook for Mountain Regions

Challenges and risks

The informal sector 5 plays a significant role in waste handling and sorting processes in developing nations. The informal recycling sector may be saving cities as much as 15 to 20 per cent of their waste management budget. At the same time, if revenues for some materials decrease, collection is no longer secured. Workers in the informal sector often work in extremely unhygienic conditions, with a high risk of accidents and disease (Binion and Gutberlet, 2012; Jerie, 2016). This can extend social inequalities if these workers are not included in a formalisation programme. The typical management of solid waste includes service delivery – sweeping, collection, transportation and disposal of solid waste – and treatment and resource recovery, mainly of organic waste (through composting) and of recyclable waste (through recovery, sorting and sale). The level of recycling remains basic because it has not been possible to implement integral systems to produce recycled products on a large scale. Generally, the proportion of organic matter exceeds recyclables by a ratio of 2:1. However, municipalities are working towards a greater emphasis on recycling waste that can be used in industry. SWM options are prioritized in an order known as the Waste Management Hierarchy. 6 In general, landfill sites are used for disposal, although in some mountain cities there are still many open dumping sites.

SWM in large mountain cities, as in other cities in developing countries, is often inadequate or poor. While most countries have legislation on SWM, it is generally only partially implemented. Insufficient and poor SWM manifests itself through low levels of collection coverage, mixed waste collection without separation at source, informal recycling of waste on the streets and disposal of solid waste in open dumping sites (as opposed to sanitary landfills). In most cities in developing countries, including large mountainous cities, collection coverage is relatively low, ranging from 30 to 60 per cent in low-income countries and from 50 to 80 per cent in middle-income countries (Scheinberg, Wilson and Rodic-Wiersma, 2010). The accumulation of solid waste in streets or in open dumpsites has significant negative impacts on human health and the environment. When waste in open dumps is not covered, it can produce unpleasant odours, biogas and leachate contaminants that can adversely affect air quality, rivers, underground water sources and soils. Water bodies

A waste dump on the edge of the Bagmati River, Kathmandu. Photo © Flickr/az zut

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