NATIONAL 2 (Spotlight Weekly)]

Trash Course

Amid haphazard garbage collection efforts, greater dangers loom ahead

By AKSHAY SHARMA

Solid waste mismanagement has grabbed the headlines for nearly seven years, with no solution in sight. Experts say the problem is so serious that it needs a strong public policy response.

The average annual waste generated in Kathmandu is estimated at 278 tons. Experts predict this number will reach 350 tons by 2002. Lalitpur in comparison generates 68 tons of waste.

Garbage has been a constant source of irritation to policy makers, administrators and especially the public in Kathmandu. Improved waste management is directly related to health. The Ministry of Local development (MLD) and Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan and other municipalities are fully aware of the dimensions of the problem.

Garbage Collection : Growing awerness

Experts say population growth in Kathmandu is about 5.9 percent a year, compared to Lalitpur's 3.8 percent. The whole population of the Kathmandu Valley, which includes the cities of Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Thimi, Kirtipur and the surrounding villages, is estimated to be over 1.2 million.

In 1989 waste generated in Kathmandu was estimated at 4.9 kg per person. Another study in 1993 showed the waste generation rate to be 0.46 percent per day. Despite all the concern expressed, there have been no recent in-depth studies.

Experts at the MLD say the average amount of garbage generated by a Kathmanduite is between 0.4 to 0.5 kg per day.

Related to the problem is the search for dumping sites. After several failed attempts to find a new landfill site, the city finds itself in a dilemma. "Great care must be taken while choosing landfill sites. The land must be commercial in value, should have water level over 10m, should be away from residential areas and the garbage to be transported to the site must be dumped at the cheapest cost,î says Dina Shrestha an environmental student.

A land-fill site that never came into operation was at Sundarighat (Lalitpur, Ward No. 4), southwest of the valley. "We won't allow any company to begin such projects in the vicinity," says Raghu Panta, UML MP representing the area.

"We conducted studies on Ramkot and the infrastructure was built. But after about 14 -18 km of tracks were completed, the project stopped because of some reason," Ashok Shah told Spotlight last week.

The KMC also has plans to recycle waste with technical support from a Bombay-based Excel Industries. It is expected to recycle minimum of 300 tons of solid waste each day and a total of 22,000 tons every year. According to experts at KMC, Kathmandu produces 250 tons of solid waste every day compared to Lalitpur's 50 tons.

"The organic fertilizers thus produced has a big demand in the market," said Bhusan Tuladhar. The project is estimated to require a capital of Rs 100 million.

"There are no problems for KMC regarding solid waste management. There are two requirements of the private sector -- 7 hectares of land and an additional 3 hectares for the collection of stones and sand needed for the process of making organic fertilizers from garbage -- which has been a hard nut to crack for both the central and local authorities," according to Tuladhar.

The manufacturers will first spray a substance called "odour-off" to tame the stench of the dump. This will be followed by the transformation of garbage into organic fertilizers within four to six weeks with the use of micro-germs.

The nature of waste varies according to living standards of the community. The waste in Kathmandu can be characterized as being highly organic and dense and containing high moisture.

CEDA in 1989 estimated that 78 percent of the waste produced in Kathmandu is biodegradable. Unnati Uttar Kendra, an NGO that manages waste for 200 houses in and around Teku, estimates that 75 percent is organic.

Kathmandu also generates large amounts of non-municipal wastes -- agricultural water, commercial waste, hospital waste, industrial waste and dead animals. Non-municipal wastes are recycled by the private sector. The wastes are generated in huge quantities and sometimes contain contaminants. Some of these wastes is managed by the municipalities because they are either placed in the municipality containers or dumped in public places.

The main source of commercial waste, experts point out, are restaurants, vegetable and fruit markets, slaughterhouses, carpet factories and garment industries.

Gokarna, 13 km northeast of Teku, is a canyon-type landfill that was developed by a German project in 1986. The landfill site remains closed because of opposition by the local people. The landfill does not have a liner but the waste is compacted using bulldozers and a pond has been constructed. Landfill gas is released through vents.

"Okharpauwa (Nuwakot) seems the best site for now and was built four years ago. Studies show that it can last for 50 years or more if we go through the processing of garbage," Shah says.

Medical waste from hospitals are a major source of concern because of its hazardous nature. Teaching Hospital, Norvic Hospital and Patan Hospital have incineration plants. Few nursing homes burn their waste in crude incinerators. Most hospitals and nursing homes dump their waste in municipal containers or riverbanks. Experts estimate that about 700 kg of hospital waste is generated in Kathmandu and Lalitpur each day.

The KMC has started experimenting the composting of organic material in a small scale. Labour - intensive compost plants have been set up for waste from slaughterhouses. The waste composted by the KMC represents only about one percent of the total waste generated by the city, experts say. Just in case conventional garbage collection efforts fail, the KMC has also started centers that buy recyclable trash.