The government is all set to launch a programme in municipalities to cut down on waste going to landfill sites by adopting a policy to segregate and recycle waste and produce compost.
The European Commission-supported programme, Towards Zero Waste in South Asia, will be implemented in Tansen and Hetauda municipalities this fiscal, said the Municipal Association of Nepal (MuAN). The Solid Waste Management Technical Support Centre said 15 municipalities will be covered in the first phase.
“We are going to launch a pilot project in Lalitpur, Siddarhtanagar and Butwal municipalities in the current fiscal,” said Sumitra Amatya, executive director at the SWMTSC, which works under the Ministry of Local Development. “The programme will be implemented in the remaining municipals next fiscal. The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have pledged to support in the programme,” she added.
The ministry and MuAN will work together to make the programme effective, said Amatya. “The concept will include segregation of waste, composting, recycling, producing biogas, returning plastic to producers and promoting recycling plants,” she said.
Amatya said after the programme is implemented, only 10-15 per cent waste generated in cities will have to be disposed in landfills. “Other donors are also interested in the programme.
