Developing a Waste Management Strategy: Transforming Waste from Problem to Resource

Summary

This video script addresses the urgent global issue of waste management, emphasizing the need for efficient strategies. It outlines a six-step process for developing a tailored waste management strategy, starting from identifying key leaders to securing political agreement and engaging stakeholders. The script highlights the importance of viewing waste as a resource, setting goals, and formulating actionable plans with clear targets and indicators. It uses Mandalay, Myanmar, as a case study, demonstrating the strategy's development and implementation, including securing political support and public consultation.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The global population produces 1.3 billion tons of municipal solid waste annually, with over half lacking waste collection services.
• 🏢 Rapid urbanization and industrialization exacerbate waste management challenges, necessitating a shift towards resource-efficient practices.
• 📜 Countries have pledged to improve resource efficiency through agreements like the Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• 🔄 Waste management strategies should focus on reducing waste generation and promoting reuse and recycling, not just disposal.
• 🏙️ Developing a waste management strategy involves six key steps: getting started, engaging stakeholders, setting parameters, formulating a strategy, sign-off and agreement, and implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
• 👥 Stakeholder engagement is crucial, including government agencies, NGOs, private sector, and community members.
• 📊 A baseline and gap analysis is essential to understand current waste management practices and identify areas for improvement.
• 💼 Financial and human resources must be assessed to ensure the strategy can be implemented effectively.
• 🌐 The waste management strategy should be aligned with existing policies to ensure policy coherence.
• 🎯 Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) targets is key to driving actions and measuring progress.
• 🔄 Implementation, monitoring, and evaluation are critical for the success of the waste management strategy, ensuring it adapts to changing circumstances.

Q & A

What is one of the most pressing issues the world faces today according to the script?

The ever-increasing volume of waste humans produce is one of the most pressing issues the world faces today.

How much municipal solid waste is produced globally every year?

Globally, 1.3 billion tons of municipal solid waste is produced every year.

What percentage of the world's population lacks waste collection?

More than half of the world's population has no waste collection at all.

What is the importance of becoming a more resource-efficient society?

Becoming a more resource-efficient society is important globally, which is why countries have formally pledged their commitment through the Paris Agreement on climate change and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

What are some positive actions that can be taken to improve waste management?

Positive actions include reducing the amount of waste generated, reusing and recycling to reduce waste that needs disposal, and improving treatment and disposal using environmental technologies.

What is the fundamental first step in finding the best solutions to waste management issues?

The fundamental first step is the development of a waste management strategy.

Who are the target audiences for the video course on waste management strategy?

The video course is intended for government officials, international development organizations, NGOs, and research institutes.

What is the main aim of waste management in most developing countries and their cities?

The main aim is to collect as much waste as possible to keep streets and neighborhoods clean.

What is the proposed shift in the way we look at waste according to the script?

We should see waste as a valuable resource, and if recyclables are separated at home, for instance, they can be sold, generating income while keeping the environment clean.

What does the waste management strategy development process consist of?

The waste management strategy development process consists of six steps: Getting Started, Engaging Stakeholders, Setting Parameters, Formulating a Strategy, Sign-off and Agreement, and Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation.

What are the six goals identified in Mandalay's city waste management strategy?

The six goals are: 1. Accelerate waste collection and 3R activities, 2. Stop open burning and disposal, 3. Proper management of industrial and other waste, 4. Proper management of liquid waste, 5. Awareness-raising and capacity building, 6. Regular monitoring.

How does the script suggest ensuring the success of a waste management strategy?

The script suggests ensuring the success of a waste management strategy by involving all stakeholders, setting clear goals and targets, having a clear timeline, and regularly monitoring and adjusting the strategy based on the results.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Global Waste Management Crisis

The script addresses the escalating global issue of waste management, emphasizing its impact on public health, environmental pollution, and the financial burden it places on cities and countries. It highlights the inadequacy of current waste collection systems, especially in developing nations, and the urgent need for a more resource-efficient society as recognized in international agreements like the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The script introduces a video course by IGES CCET, aimed at guiding government officials and organizations in developing a waste management strategy tailored to their specific needs, using Mandalay, Myanmar, as a case study.

05:06

📈 Developing a Waste Management Strategy

The script outlines the first step in developing a waste management strategy: getting started. It involves identifying key leaders and government agencies, ensuring coordination among different stakeholders, and conducting a baseline and gap analysis to understand the current waste management situation. It also emphasizes the need to assess financial and human resources, technical capacity, and community awareness and interest. The script uses Mandalay's strategy development, supported by IGES CCET, to illustrate these steps, including securing political agreement and initial support from relevant agencies.

10:09

🤝 Engaging Stakeholders in Waste Management

The script discusses the importance of engaging stakeholders in the waste management strategy development process. It details the process of identifying all interested groups, including waste generators, service providers, and supporting entities from various sectors. The script stresses the need to establish roles for stakeholders, set up a coordinating committee, and involve them from the beginning to ensure a comprehensive and effective strategy. It uses the example of informal waste recyclers in Mandalay to highlight the significance of including diverse stakeholders.

15:11

🛠️ Formulating the Waste Management Strategy

The script moves on to the strategy formulation phase, where it is crucial to consider each issue identified and determine possible actions based on set goals. It emphasizes the waste hierarchy, which prioritizes waste prevention and resource recovery over disposal. The script advises drafting action plans with clear budgets and responsibilities, integrating necessary policy instruments, and setting SMART targets for priority waste streams or issues. It also discusses the importance of policy coherence and setting priorities for different waste streams.

20:12

🏆 Finalizing and Implementing the Strategy

The script describes the final steps in the waste management strategy development process, including drafting the strategy, setting targets and indicators, and obtaining public and government endorsement. It emphasizes the need for a public consultation process and political sign-off to secure budget and staff for implementation. The script also highlights the importance of implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, using Mandalay's pilot projects and external support as examples of successful strategy execution.

Keywords

💡Waste Management

Waste management refers to the collection, transportation, disposal, recycling, and monitoring of waste materials. In the context of the video, it is a critical process for cities and countries to handle the growing volume of waste and protect public health and the environment. The video emphasizes the need for a comprehensive strategy to improve waste management beyond mere collection and disposal.

💡Municipal Solid Waste

Municipal solid waste (MSW) encompasses the everyday trash generated by households, commercial establishments, and institutions. The video mentions the staggering figure of 1.3 billion tons of MSW produced annually, highlighting the scale of the challenge and the urgency for effective waste management strategies.

💡Resource Efficiency

Resource efficiency is the responsible use of natural resources to reduce waste and environmental impact. The video underscores the importance of becoming a more resource-efficient society, which aligns with global commitments like the Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals. It suggests that waste should be viewed as a valuable resource, not just as garbage.

💡Waste Hierarchy

The waste hierarchy is a prioritized system of waste management strategies, starting with waste prevention and ending with disposal. The video script uses the waste hierarchy to guide discussions on waste management, emphasizing the importance of preventing waste generation and promoting reuse and recycling over disposal.

💡Recyclables

Recyclables are materials that can be collected, processed, and made into new products, reducing the need for raw materials and the amount of waste. The video suggests that separating recyclables at home can generate income and keep the environment clean, illustrating how waste can be transformed into a resource.

💡Strategy Development

Strategy development in the video involves creating a roadmap for waste management that considers local context and involves multiple stakeholders. The process includes six steps, from getting started to implementation, aiming to tailor waste management solutions to specific cities or countries.

💡Stakeholders

Stakeholders in waste management are individuals or groups who have an interest or are affected by waste management practices. The video highlights the importance of engaging stakeholders, such as government agencies, NGOs, and waste generators, in the strategy development process to ensure a comprehensive and effective approach.

💡Baseline and Gap Analysis

Baseline and gap analysis is a method of assessing the current state of waste management and identifying areas for improvement. The video describes this process as central to developing a useful strategy, involving compiling data, reviewing policies, and understanding technical and financial capacities.

💡SMART Targets

SMART targets are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals set to drive actions and measure progress in waste management. The video provides an example from Mandalay, where the goal is to achieve 100% waste collection service by 2030, with intermediate targets for 2020 and 2025.

💡Implementation

Implementation in the waste management context refers to the execution of the strategy by responsible parties. The video stresses that this step is often overlooked but is crucial for success. It involves carrying out the action plans, monitoring progress, and making adjustments as necessary to achieve the strategy's goals.

💡Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation are ongoing processes to track the effectiveness of waste management strategies and make data-driven adjustments. The video mentions that Mandalay City has implemented pilot projects and is monitoring their success, which is essential for continuous improvement and achieving the strategy's objectives.

Highlights

The world faces a pressing issue of waste management affecting public health and the environment.

7.3 billion people produce 1.3 billion tons of municipal solid waste annually.

Over half of the world's population lacks waste collection services.

Countries with waste collection struggle with the growing urban population and hazardous waste.

Global commitments to waste management are made through the Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Countries and cities can improve waste management beyond collection and disposal.

Waste can be seen as a valuable resource, not just a problem.

A waste management strategy is a roadmap for improving local waste systems.

The development process of a waste management strategy consists of six steps.

Identifying key leaders and government agencies is the first step in strategy development.

Baseline and gap analysis is essential for understanding current waste management.

Financial and human resources need to be assessed for strategy implementation.

Community awareness and interest are critical for public participation in waste management.

Engaging stakeholders is vital for a successful waste management strategy.

Setting parameters for the strategy includes deciding the focus, scope, and goals.

Formulating a strategy involves drafting actions based on identified issues and goals.

Targets and indicators should be established to measure progress towards waste management goals.

The strategy should be officially endorsed through public consultation and political sign-off.

Implementation, monitoring, and evaluation are crucial for the success of the waste management strategy.

Mandalay's waste management strategy serves as a case study illustrating the strategy development process.

The waste management strategy in Mandalay includes goals like waste collection improvement and open burning cessation.

External support, such as from Japan and the Asian Development Bank, is crucial for implementing the strategy.

Transcripts

The ever-increasing volume of waste humans produce is one of the most

pressing issues the world faces today. Waste puts public health at risk,

pollutes the environment, and its disposal costs cities and countries

a fortune they often can't afford. Our global population of 7.3 billion people

already struggles to deal with the 1.3 billion tons of municipal solid waste

produced every year. More than half of the world's population has no waste

collection at all. Countries that do have waste collection often cannot keep up

with the challenges presented by a growing number of people living in

cities, and the new streams of hazardous waste resulting from rapid

industrialization. Becoming a more resource efficient society is so

important globally that countries have formally pledged their commitment

through the Paris agreement on climate change and the UN Sustainable

Development Goals. There are many positive actions countries and cities

can take to improve waste management beyond collection and disposal. For

example: reducing the amount of waste they generate, reducing the amount of

waste that needs to be disposed of by reuse and recycling, or improving

treatment and disposal using environmental technologies. But what

options would work best for your city or country? To find the best solutions to

this complex issue, a fundamental first step is the development of a waste

management strategy. In this video course experts from the Institute for Global

Environmental Strategies Center Collaborating with UN Environment on

Environmental Technologies (IGES CCET) will guide you through a

step-by-step process to develop a waste management strategy tailored to your

city or country. The video is intended for government officials, international

development organizations, NGOs, and research institutes trying to bring

about positive change in the waste management systems of cities and countries.

The development of a waste management strategy in Mandalay, Myanmar

supported by IGES CCET will be used as a case study to illustrate each step of the process.

In most developing countries and their cities waste management is

limited to waste collection and disposal. The aim is to collect as much waste as

possible to keep streets and neighborhoods clean.

However, these countries and cities never seem to have enough capacity and

infrastructure to deal with the growing amounts of waste.

Even when collection keeps up with the growing amount of waste we are just

transferring the problem from the streets to landfill sites or some other location.

We propose a shift in the way we look at this problem. We should see waste as a

valuable resource. If recyclables are separated at

home for instance they, can be sold -- generating income while keeping our

environment clean. To best consider solutions in the context of the waste

management system you want to improve a fundamental first step is the development

of a waste management strategy. The strategy is a roadmap that will guide

the team leading the process and the many stakeholders involved to come up

with appropriate solutions for the local context. The waste management strategy

development process consists of six steps.

Step One: Getting Started

Each country or city will begin this process from a different point but the

essentials for everyone include a number of elements: Identifying Key Leaders

Identify and engage with the key government agencies dealing with waste.

A person or group in the political leadership must be selected to be in

charge, and given the responsibility for driving the waste management strategy

process. The organization that takes the lead should have the political power and

resources to provide focus and follow-through; providing political

commitment and unity of purpose. Officials will need to be assigned to

support this project and are likely to need resources such as a project office,

budget, and workforce. Ensuring Coordination Mechanisms: Different

aspects of waste management are often the responsibility of various government

agencies so it is important to have internal coordination among all of them.

This will ensure all relevant parties are aligned with and actively supporting

the development of this strategy. Baseline and Gap Analysis: Determining

the current situation and how well the waste is being managed is central to

developing a useful strategy. The following steps are important for

understanding the current local situation and identifying the gaps that

need to be addressed. Compile all waste-related data available including

information on waste generation, collection, transportation, disposal,

waste classification and composition. If data is not available surveys and sample

studies may be needed. You need to review waste management policies currently in

place so you understand the current waste management system and how the new

waste strategy is going to be interlinked with existing policies

Develop an understanding of the technical capacity and infrastructure

available in the city or country. This technical capacity can be related to

waste separation, collection, recycling, treatment, or disposal.

Financial and Human Resources: Financial and human resources will be needed to implement

improved waste management practices so develop an understanding of the

resources available. How is waste management currently funded? Are there cost

recovery schemes in operation through taxes or fees? Are the resources adequate?

What technical skills are available? Consider community awareness and

interest. The strategy will call for public participation in the planning and

implementation of initiatives. People may be requested to separate their waste or

use special waste bins. For this reason it is important to understand the level

of awareness regarding waste management among members of the public and private

sectors and the community. In Mandalay IGES CCET in cooperation with the

government of Myanmar published the policy report: Waste Management in

Myanmar providing the findings of the situation and gap analysis. Supporting

informed decision-making towards the creation of the waste management strategy.

Secure Political Agreement: Create an initial agreement with

relevant agencies showing the approval and commitment of political leadership

with the development of the waste management strategy. At the city level,

this would preferably be the mayor. In the country case, it should be the

relevant minister. In the case of Mandalay, the IGES CCET team first gained the

mayor's approval and then got the support of the Mandalay City Development

Committee. In this way the development of the

strategy came to be truly owned by the local government agencies.

Step 2: Engaging Stakeholders

Identify All Interested Groups: Governments will have

a leading role in developing any national waste management strategy, and

agencies with sectoral responsibilities like environment or health will play key

roles. But apart from government agencies within each country a great variety of

organizations and groups play vital roles in waste management activities and

you must identify all these relevant stakeholders. They fall into one of three

categories: waste generators, service providers, and supporting entities.

Members of these categories can be found in the community, private sector, NGOs,

civil society, and academia. Identify Roles for Stakeholders: Identifying the

groups that are actively involved in waste management, getting them involved

in the discussion from the beginning, and determining their roles is very

important in the development of a sound waste management strategy. Different

stakeholders can support the initiative in unique ways. NGOs for example often

have experience working with communities at the grassroots level, and can play an

instrumental role in complementing the waste management service provided by the government

In the case of Mandalay there are already a lot of informal waste

recyclers collecting materials from households and selling them for profit.

We consider them to be very important stakeholders, as they could support

recycling activities in the future, so we involve them in the development of the

waste management strategy from the very beginning with other stakeholders.

Establish a Coordinating Committee: To organize the involvement of all these

stakeholders, a working committee should be established to provide coordination

of the project activities. The committee should be formed by representatives from

different stakeholder groups so that they can all participate in the

discussions throughout the strategy development process.

Step 3: Setting Parameters

The general dimensions, focus, and scope of the strategy should

be decided early. The strategy should focus on preventing the generation of

waste and phasing out the use of hazardous substances in the products,

rather than simply on managing what is generated. While some categories of waste

may be allocated a higher priority initially; any waste stream, even if it is of

minor significance at present, will need to be managed at some stage. Participants

will need to come to a common agreement on the overall vision and mission for

this process. Based on this shared understanding it is important to

identify the major goals. Goals should be accompanied by concrete targets and

timetables to measure progress against. in Mandalay's case the city waste

In Mandalay's case, the city waste

management strategy identifies six goals: 1. Accelerate waste collection and 3R activities

2. Stop open burning and disposal

3. Proper management of industrial and other waste for proper management of

4. Proper Management of liquid waste

5. Awareness-raising and capacity building.

6. regular monitoring.

The strategy process should highlight the benefits of better waste management.

These include waste reduction, lowering operating costs, new economic opportunities,

resource efficiency, poverty alleviation, reduced environmental impacts,

and improved health. Secure adequate finances and other resources

for strategy development to ensure that development does not stall. The capacities

necessary to undertake the strategy need to be considered. For instance, a

country with limited capacities available may choose to limit the scope

in the initial stages. It is important to have a clear timeline for strategy

completion and adoption, and include milestones over the term of two, five, and

ten to twenty years.

Policy Coherence:

The potential interaction of waste management strategy with other policies need to be considered.

Positive interactions are to be encouraged , and tensions and conflicts will need to be

resolved. Consider whether the waste management strategy would be linked to

existing plans for municipal waste management, public health, environment, or

urban development. You must set priorities as to how and when you deal

with different kinds of waste. You may have to urgently address waste streams

that are especially problematic. Most countries will have several waste

management priorities which need urgent attention, while other waste streams will

be addressed later. Municipal solid waste management will be a priority for any

city because the provision of these services is key to keeping the city

operating. In Mandalay's case, following the

assessment, they prioritized the municipal waste issue because it was within the

mandate of the Cleansing Department -- the leading agency in the development of

waste management strategy. While they concluded it was important to deal with

hazardous and industrial waste, this requires the cooperation of more

governmental agencies; making implementation more complicated so they

decided to tackle this later.

Step 4: Formulating a Strategy

Now that we have reached a common understanding of the parameters for the strategy, it is time

to start drafting the actual strategy. It is important to consider each issue

identified in the previous step and what actions can be taken to address it based

on the goal set. How is the issue managed at the present? What are the opportunities

for waste prevention, materials recovery, and recycling? What policy

options are available to address this issue?

Identify Actions

Choices about the management of each waste stream or issue should be carefully analyzed.

The aim is not to manage waste better, or to ensure compliance with regulations, but

rather to optimize the use of limited material resources. This means avoiding

the generation of waste at the source by treating it as a resources waiting to be

recovered and reused. Discussions should be guided by the waste hierarchy which

indicates an order of reference for actions to reduce and manage waste.

The hierarchy illustrates a prioritization of action for waste management

activities; giving top priority to preventing the waste from being generated

in the first place, followed by reduction through means such as reuse and recycling,

recovering of energy through waste processing such as anaerobic digestion

incineration and so on, and finally disposal at last resort.

Once action has been identified, an action plan should be prepared for

each waste stream or issue with accurate budgets and the responsibilities for

implementation clearly identified.

Necessary policy instruments identified

in these action plans will need to be integrated in existing laws and

regulations through appropriate amendments or new laws and regulations

introduced where relevant. We recommend that you identify initial actions

that can be easily implemented, so the partners can start working together and

achieve early results.

Establish Targets and Indicators

In developing the action plan targets should be set for priority waste streams or other issues.

For example: Reduction of waste generation and of waste to be landfilled

increased waste collection rate or coverage and increase recycling rate,

targets for moving from uncontrolled dumpsites to properly engineered landfills.

These targets can be used to drive actions, create momentum, monitor progress, and alert those

implementing the strategy to problems. Targets should be Smart: Specific

Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. In the case of Mandalay, stakeholders

decided as a first goal the improvement of the waste collection service in the

city. Currently it covers 70% of the city. The target is to provide 100% waste

collection service in the city by 2030. They also defined some mid-term target:

80% by 2020 and 90% by 2025. As you can see targets are time-bound, they help

monitor progress in waste management step 5

Step 5: Sign-off and Agreement

Once the actions have been drafted

the strategy is practically complete. It is important though that the strategy is

officially endorsed by the public and government officials. The strategy should

be submitted to a full public consultation process, in which the public

is invited to provide feedback. In the Mandalay case, after the strategy was

completed they organized a large public meeting to present the waste management

strategy to various stakeholder groups to listen to their concerns and achieve

commitment to implementation. News of the strategy also appeared in the media.

The strategy document was distributed among people dealing with waste management.

The final step in strategy development is political sign-off and getting approval.

This endorsement is crucial during implementation to secure budget and

staff allocated to improving waste management. In the case of Mandalay,

after the final workshop they submitted a report to the City Development

Committee for official approval. They also got approval from the regional

government to make it their legal document for

their next 10 years of waste management activities.

With final approval, the waste management strategy is completed. The strategy is then

circulated among all stakeholders as a printed and digital publication.

The outcome of the process is a waste management strategy consisting of a

number of elements an ambitious overall framework and goals for sound waste

management in the city or country, a list of priority waste streams and issues,

an action plan for each waste stream or issue comprising one or more targets and

policy actions, cost estimates for each action plan, clearly allocated

responsibilities for implementing the actions identified, plans for review

including indicators to measure progress and collection of appropriate data, and

revision of the strategy on a regular basis and as developments require.

Step 6 Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation

This step is the most commonly overlooked, but it is crucial for success

The waste management strategy should be implemented as planned by the

responsible parties. Monitoring of the targets and indicators is crucial.

Based on the result of this monitoring, adjustments need to be made regularly to

ensure the strategy is effectively leading to their great goals.

Mandalay City has implemented some pilot projects for waste separation in households

linking them with entities specializing in recycling. Implementation has now

moved to the improvement of the landfill, and budget has been secured. This

strategy has also promoted external support from Japan to provide an

anaerobic digester for managing organic waste, as well as Asian Development

Bank supporting improvements of waste management in line with this strategy.

Local partners like Mandalay University and some community groups are taking

their own initiative to implement some of these activities, because they are all

involved in the process they have a sense of ownership. This sense of

ownership is very important to ensure a successful implementation.

In this course you have learned how to develop a waste management strategy , from

the initial fact-finding steps to implementation. Every community faces a

different set of challenges, but these steps should equip you to create and

implement an effective strategy for transforming waste from problem to

opportunity. If you would like to learn more about how to implement these steps

where you are, or to reach out to the IGES CCET team for more information, please

visit our website where resources related to this methodology are

available.