Municipal Waste Management in SL causing key social, environmental and economic concerns: UNDP

• Only 50%  of daily waste collected by CEA’s Waste Management Division
• 85% of waste generated are disposed inappropriately
• UNDP stresses need to steer away from the current traditional unsustainable waste management system
• UNDP, MoE, and KEITI join hands to address the growing issue

Sri Lanka’s municipal waste management (MSW) is causing key social, environmental, and economic concerns as only 50 percent of the country’s waste is collected by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) highlighted.

Of the 7,000 tonnes of solid waste that is produced per day, only half is collected by CEA’s Waste Management Division. According to the UNDP, 85 percent of the waste generated is disposed of inappropriately. The common methods of waste disposal are through open dumping and burning giving rise to health and environmental impacts. 

The Western Province alone generates more than 59 percent (approximately 4,200 tonnes) of solid waste with a high degree of biodegradability. With trends in urbanisation and rapid population growth, municipal waste generation is expected to rise to 2.2 billion tonnes by 2025.   “Transitioning from a traditional unsustainable system to sustainable waste management is a key necessity.

Controlling the generation, storage, collection, transportation, processing, and disposal of solid waste materials in a manner that best addresses the range of public health, conservation, economic, aesthetic, engineering, and other environmental considerations is a requirement for Sri Lanka,” the UNDP said in a statement yesterday. 

As the country makes headway in its green recovery, the UNDP asserted it is crucial to build measures to introduce sustainable waste management options for Local Authorities (LAs).
To address this growing issue, the Ministry of Environment in Sri Lanka, the Government of the Republic of Korea, and the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka are scaling up efforts.

Efforts are underway to utilise the best available technologies to improve Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM), support other waste-related value chains, and strengthen the capacity of women-led micro and small enterprises to engage in resource recovery initiatives in the island nation.

Through this initiative, UNDP and KEITI have reached out to Korean technology providers and experts to provide valuable input and guidance on the available commercialized municipal solid waste management technologies.

The project aims to reduce health and safety concerns to the people and wildlife, damage to the natural environment, Greenhouse Gas emissions and other forms of pollution, and waste management burden to the LAs. It will also stimulate private sector investment for low carbon development, and engagement of small enterprises in green resource recovery value chains and promote green jobs.