Converting trash into treasure

Poorly managed waste spreads disease, contaminates water resources, increases the cost of potable water, increases flooding, pollutes the air and repulses tourists.

Recycling of scrap metal, paper, glass, plastics and cardboard is a large industry in many developed countries, but use of recycled materials is often not well developed. In Tanzania, as in many countries, ships carry containers full of used plastics back to China for recycling since the local market is not sufficiently organised.

Today marks two months since the Meethotamulla tragedy. The genuine soul searching by Sri Lankan consumers who want a sustainable solution to the garbage problem continues unabated but finding a policy solution appears to be fading from the priority list of the Government. This must not be allowed to happen. 

While many Sri Lankans have made praiseworthy efforts to be more conscious consumers they are hampered by opaque, slow and fragmented policymaking. The Government with its many ministries, departments and institutions is struggling to have a comprehensive policy framework that will get stakeholder buy-in. Even though the Government has handed out three projects to convert solid waste into electricity, these facilities will take at least another two years to come online but the garbage problem needs solutions now. 

Think tanks and monetary organisations the world over take a simple approach to solid waste management. That is to approach it as a supply chain where each link can be monetised to bring people on board and reduce the pain of finding a garbage dump on your doorstep. It would also mean that many people who want to make a difference but don’t know how to get about it will be drawn into a comprehensive plan. An additional advantage is that contradictory and piecemeal polices will be streamlined to maximise effectiveness.     

It is possible to turn trash into treasure with the revenue opportunities available in solid waste. For example user fees for collection of solid waste are usually kept artificially low. Collection can be facilitated by combining waste management bills with electricity bills (as in Mombasa) or water bills (as in Addis Ababa). Municipal taxes can provide a solid revenue stream, but are usually spread over a small part of the total population.

Taxing importers and producers of waste is another option. For example, see the tax being proposed in Kenya on imported tires or in Togo, where a tax on industries, hotels and other large enterprises shifts the tax burden to large producers of waste.

Carbon finance can be accessed through the reduction of methane gas, generation of renewable electricity and the reduction of the carbon footprint by offsetting other thermal heat generation. Energy fees from power generated or calorific value provided to kilns or other high energy (and high temperature) activities create value while also breaking down the chemical composition of the waste. Sri Lanka is already looking at this but it cannot stand alone. Consumption patterns have to change drastically as well with reduction and reuse a crucial part of the system. 

An alert public has to keep pressure on the Government on solid waste management but also ensure that environmentally damaging businesses are not allowed into the country under the guise of investment.