Waste management
The poor are bearing the burden
Waste in the Slums
Who collects the waste in these regions?
We’ve all seen pictures and television footage of people living in slums
across the world. But what you might not know is that there’s a slum
population of more than one billion people and that by 2020, this
figure is expected to double.
When waste is collected it’s often by the poorest people; putting
slum dwellers on the front-line and exposing them to health issues
and extremely tough working conditions. Local authorities’ employ a
large number of manual workers as waste pickers to recycle and
separate waste in the streets and prepare it for the disposal sites.
Imagine living in this suffocating overcrowded environment
surrounded by mounds of uncollected dirty waste. In many slums, a
family of six will share a space no bigger than one small room. The
only areas for children to play are breeding grounds for flies,
cockroaches and rats; increasing the health risks for many people.
We believe everyone has the right to live and work in a clean
environment. Because of poverty, many people have no option but to
live in slums. So we’re working with some of the poorest communities
to safely and securely improve their waste management and
collection methods. This brings improvements to the health of the
slum dwelling families and the creation of safer healthier places to live
and work.
The problem
On average 50% of waste not collected in slum areas is due to the
local authorities’ lack of skills and resources to serve a growing urban
population. Large waste-collection lorries are unable to drive down the
narrow streets of the slums and often slum dwellers are unable to pay
the charges levied by the waste contractor. As a result, the local
authorities’ see these communities as undeserving of waste-collection
services because they do not contribute to local taxes. Up to 40% of
the local authorities’ operational budgets is spent on waste-related
activities, usually benefitting commercial, high and middle income
areas only.
What happens to waste that is collected?
Some slum waste if collected is disposed of in an uncontrolled
manner, often polluting water supplies and creating dirt, smoke and
dust, which affects the health of nearby communities and degrades
the land.
Waste Facts:
•
4 million tonnes of waste is produced every day across the
world. That’s the equivalent of 1 million truck loads.
•
Each person generates an average of 0.5kg of waste
per day.
•
In high income areas where consumption is greater, the
average amount of waste produced is 1.5kg per person,
per day.
•
Some 10 million chronically poor people rely on waste
picking for their day-to-day survival.
•
Waste reduction is an essential policy and strategy in the
fight against climate change.
Our approach
At a local level
It is estimated that 10 million chronically poor people rely on waste
picking for their day to day survival. Practical Action works
alongside poor communities to find practical solutions for an
affordable waste-collection service. We actively seek to help form
co-operatives and introduce new technologies and working methods
for the waste pickers. We know this approach works and improves
the local environment whilst creating employment opportunities and
better working conditions. By working together communities are
able to plan and prioritise their needs and create productive
partnerships.
At a national level
Practical Action works with local and national governments on
policy development and the strategic planning of waste
management. This allows us to influence high-level thinking on
issues that impact the poor. The adoption of our proposed working
systems have led to more regular waste services for slum areas,
and the people who rely on waste picking for their livelihoods are
better treated.
Integrated approach
Practical Action’s integrated approach works on waste reduction;
recycling and waste-collection. Technologies are useful in all these
processes, for example we have introduced bicycle trailers for
collecting separated household waste; a machine for washing
plastics; and composting initiatives to households and communities.
Waste-collection and recycling organisations have been trained in
social and environmental business principles in order to asses the
wider market systems for waste products to see where changes can
bring the greatest benefit to the poor.
Workers sorting waste paper at Kijabe recycling centre in Kenya
Project in Action
'Clean Max' machine which washes plastics for recycling.
Simple techniques work wonders:
Nepal
Working with partner organisations Practical Action has provided
support with training activities and field visits to help households
understand solid waste management systems in Nepal.
Woman showing aubergines she has grown in her garden in Sri Lanka.
Composting and home gardening
Before 2003 residents were careless about the problems
associated with excessive use of plastics, and it was a common
sight to see garbage lying in public areas. Since then, significant
environmental improvements have been achieved by local
women’s groups who have taken action to reduce the amount of
waste plastic in eight areas of Bharatupur district, Nepal.
Practical Action recognises the positive benefits of composting
for poor families. With better management of waste, households
can produce rich compost that can be used on gardens, which
will improve the soil, thereby increasing productivity. This
provides poor families with a variety of fresh vegetables to eat,
as well as a small income from the surplus vegetables.
Residents have been encouraged to segregate plastic bags from
other waste and push them onto a suiro, which is a metal hook
with a long stem that can hold large numbers of bags so they are
not scattered to the winds. Using the suiro has helped to reduce
the quantities of mixed waste and the careless dumping of waste.
This is not only reducing the amounts of plastic waste in the
urban area but also making people aware of the environmental
problems caused by plastics.
Lalitha and her family are just one of the many households who
have seen the benefit of receiving a compost bin; a small supply
of seeds and technical advice from Practical Action’s field
officers on how to plan the garden. Before receiving seeds and
advice Lalitha used her garden to grow a few banana trees along
with some pot plants, now she has a flourishing garden packed
with vegetables. “My neighbours come and ask about the
garden and I’m happy to tell them” says Lalitha.
The women’s groups collect around 2 tonnes of plastics every
month, more than a tonne of plastics can be sold to generate an
income. The plastic is collected using 2 rickshaws that can carry
300-500 kg of recovered waste that is transported to the dumping
site designated by Bharatpur municipality.
A variety of seeds sent to her from extended family living in the
hill country has increased the selection of vegetables Lalitha is
able to grow. By putting most of her household waste in the
compost bin and adding a special green leaved plant to help
boost the nitrogen levels, she is able to use this as compost on
the garden and from time to time she spends a small amount on
cow dung and coir, which is also put on the garden. “Since I’ve
had the compost bin I have less kitchen waste and the house
and garden are tidy” said Lalitha.
With Practical Action’s support the programme has demonstrated
that an income can be generated from solid waste and other areas
are now adopting the scheme.
Community based waste-collection:
Zimbabwe
More than 16,000 people in the slums of Epworth, Zimbabwe
receive no refuse collection service creating widespread open
dumping that increases the risks to resident’s health. Practical
Action has been working with newly formed community-based
organisations (CBOs) and the local authorities’ to set up a project
to collect and recycle waste. This is now providing the waste
collectors with an income as well as increasing their
environmental awareness.
Growing vegetables has meant Lalitha can save money as she no
longer has to buy all her vegetables from the market – just dhal
(lentils) and potatoes. With the money she saves she is able to
contribute towards the household bills and is happy in the
knowledge the food her family are eating is free of chemicals.
With the excess vegetables she is able to help family members
by providing them with vegetables such as green chillies when
they are out of season and the prices are high.
Project in Action
Waste separation and composting at home:
Sri Lanka
The idea of separating waste is not new to poor people around the
world, especially where certain kinds of waste have a resale value.
However, where systems for dealing with separated waste do not
exist, householders have little option but to dump their waste on
the street. In Kurunegala, Sri Lanka, we have introduced more than
850 home-composting bins into poor neighbourhoods, and also
encouraged people to use waste products to make their own
compost bins. As well as generating vital income – when sold the
bins have improved the local environment and enabled families to
grow fruit and vegetables at home.
Waste-collection:
Bangladesh
Co-operative member with sacks ready for transportation on handcarts.
Waste paper recycling – Kenya
Every day more than 200 tonnes of waste paper is collected
from across Nairobi. With local authorities’ failing to provide
adequate services to deal with the problem, it was left to a
group of individuals from across the city to form a co-operative
of paper recyclers.
Practical Action has been working with slum dwellers in Faridpur,
Bangladesh where we have helped to start a waste-collection
service. The local authority provided the land to construct a
compost plant where waste collected by the slum dwellers is taken
and composted the compost is then used to grow seedlings and
plants for sale, an excellent example of an integrated system of
waste-collection.
Future directions
Practical Action’s projects promote improved methods of cleaning
the slums and creating a healthy environment; we also recognise
the importance of waste-collection and recycling in sustainable
development.
Peter travels 20km a day collecting waste paper on his hand
cart around the streets of Nairobi, and is just one of many
paper recyclers who operate from Nairobi’s slums. Before
joining the co-operative Peter used to collect around 1.5 tonnes
of paper per day but experienced times when he was unable to
sell his paper for recycling. Since joining the co-operative he
collects more than 3 tonnes of waste paper and would like his
son to join him one day.
At a national and international level we will continue to influence
the policies and practices in support of an integrated waste
management system, contributing to sustainable development.
“When I started, we were very poor but now I’m able to
educate my children, build a better home and generally
improve our lifestyle,” says Peter.
Further information
Practical Action played a key role in establishing the
co-operative and highlighting the problems to Government,
the UN, Council Ministry of Environment and National
Environment Management Authority. We also worked with
co-operative members to produce a business model and
advise on business management such as micro-finance, loan
management and public health.
Practical Action is a registered company limited by guarantee | Registered Charity No.
247257 I Company Registration No. 871954 I Patron HRH The Prince of Wales,
KG, KT, GCB.
Whilst stories in this leaflet are true, names and photos have been changed to protect
the identity of individuals.
Photography: Karen Robinson, Practical Action Kenya, Lucy Stevens, and
Justine Williams.
Printed on 100% recycled paper.
We will continue to support an integrated approach to waste
management in order to improve the local environment, create jobs
for poor people and promote technologies and systems to reduce
the waste quantities and increase recycling.
If you would like to know more about waste management and
development or Practical Action’s work in general, please contact:
Supporter Services Unit, Practical Action, The Schumacher Centre
for Technology and Development, Bourton on Dunsmore, Rugby,
Warwickshire, CV23 9QZ
T +44 (0)1926 634400 F +44 (0)1926 634401
E enquiries@practicalaction.org.uk W www.practicalaction.org.uk