KATHMANDU, Aug 6: Even as the government and the locals of the Sisdole Landfill Site have reached 53 agreements so far, waste management continues to remain the capital´s perennial problem. [break]
Experts suggest that the problem could be tackled if we could significantly reduce the volume of garbage by setting up compost plants in our own backyards. This can bring down the volume of garbage by almost 80 per cent, experts claim. Bhushan Tuladhar, executive director of the Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO), claimed that waste could even be turned into a source of income.
Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur produce 360 tons, 75 tons and 26 tons of waste, respectively, every day. Sixty-eight per cent of the waste produced is organic. If that can be composted, and 13-16 percent waste that include plastic, glasses, metals and bottles be reused, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) would only have to manage 16-19 percent of the total waste produced in the Valley. This would in turn also reduce greenhouse emissions, thereby making a contribution to reducing global warming.
Achieving ´zero waste´, or coming even close to it, is a challenging concept for a developing country like Nepal. Therefore, the immediate solution is none other than reusing and recycling. “In a dominantly agricultural country like ours, waste could be tuned into organic fertilizers. Moreover, biogas could be produced from organic wastes,” said Rabin Man Shrestha, chief, Environment Department, Kathmandu Metropolitan City.
Burning waste could also be a solution as incinerators can convert waste into an alternative source of energy. Cloths and papers can be burnt to produce fuel.
The KMC has been launching awareness campaigns in this regard as well as asking schools to organize Nature Clubs. The KMC has also been providing compost bins and containers.
Around 500 houses in Ratopool have been recycling and reusing waste through the use of separate dustbins for organic and inorganic wastes. Tuladhar believes that solving the problem of organic waste is paramount as 70 per cent of waste is organic. Since waste produced at the household level gets mixed, it is imperative that houses have two to three dustbins to separate the waste, and have a small-scale composting plant in the backyard.
“Give unwanted papers and books to rag collectors. They´d be more than happy to take it. Additionally, dispose plastic bags separately,” advised Shrestha. The government should also introduce strict laws to punish those who dispose waste indiscriminately. “And if someone takes the responsibility for creating a cleaner environment, they should be rewarded,” opined Tuladhar.