Kathmandu Valley faces a pressing environmental challenge: the pervasive failure of waste segregation at its source. Despite ongoing efforts from various stakeholders, the vast majority of waste collected from homes and offices arrives at transfer stations as a thoroughly mixed, contaminated stream, rendering efficient recycling and proper waste management nearly impossible. This situation poses a significant barrier to establishing a sustainable waste management system in the capital.
The Shocking Reality at
Transfer Stations
Observations at the Teku Transfer
Station, a major hub where waste from across the valley converges before being
sent to the Banchare Danda landfill, reveal the gravity of the problem. Waste
vehicles dump massive quantities of unsegregated waste, prompting scavengers to
frantically attempt rapid segregation. However, the sheer volume and the
immediate need to load waste for the landfill make the recovery of
recyclable items and segregation of other waste types "quite impossible at
the current situation".
Even vehicles specifically
designated for segregated waste, identifiable by color and markings, end up
carrying mixed waste. This is because waste collected from homes is already
combined in single plastic bags, despite long-standing advice from
municipality workers urging communities to segregate.
The Pervasive Problem of
Contamination
The most direct consequence of
this lack of source segregation is severe contamination of recyclable
materials. Recyclable fractions are found "mixed with organic or
hazardous or sanitary waste," including animal or human waste. This mix,
along with the presence of numerous small waste items and a strong, unpleasant
odor, makes manual segregation at transfer stations an extremely difficult and
time-consuming task. The waste is so horribly mixed that "segregation
takes time," and it's a scene replicated across various transfer stations
in the valley.
Why Segregation Fails: Beyond
Awareness
The issue is not a lack of
awareness or systemic support from municipalities. Several projects, often
backed by donor agencies and development partners, have been implemented with
the aim of proper waste management, but they have consistently failed
because they "all required proper waste segregation at source and that was
not done or happened". Municipalities have actively campaigned,
published notices, and supported segregated collection systems, yet the
community has largely not acted upon these directives.
The core obstacles preventing
effective source segregation appear to be rooted in behavioral patterns:
- A "Practice that Lacks": Despite
personal experience demonstrating the ease of home segregation, the author
notes that the problem lies in a "practice that lacks"
among the general populace.
- "Ignorance that Leads to this
Situation": This suggests a disconnect between knowing what to do
and consistently doing it, leading to the current state of affairs.
- "Blaming Others" Mentality: A
significant hindrance is the tendency to "blame to other mentality
or saying that system does not work mentality," which prevents
individuals from taking responsibility for waste segregation at their
homes or sources.
- Widespread Non-Compliance: Even with
numerous stakeholders—including municipalities, the government, private
organizations, experts, and NGOs—working on awareness and proper
segregation, the "ground reality was a vast different form what we
have imagined". The fundamental first step of "proper waste
segregation at source... is not being followed by anyone of us".
The Path Forward: Behavioral
and Systemic Shifts
To truly transform waste
management in Kathmandu, a fundamental shift in behavior at the individual
level is paramount, complemented by systemic reinforcement.
Key changes needed include:
- Consistent Individual Practice: Every
household and office must commit to diligently segregating their waste
at the source into appropriate categories (organic, recyclable,
hazardous, sanitary).
- Personal Responsibility: Overcoming the
"blaming others" mentality and recognizing that effective waste
management begins with individual action is crucial.
- Active Community Compliance: The community
must move beyond mere awareness and actively comply with municipal
guidelines for waste segregation and collection.
- Reinforcing Source Segregation: Any future
waste management initiatives or projects must unequivocally prioritize
and ensure proper source segregation as the foundational and
non-negotiable first step.
- Effective Utilization of Existing Systems:
While new systems may be beneficial, the immediate need is to ensure that
the existing frameworks for segregated collection, already supported by
municipalities, are actually used and respected by the public.
Ultimately, the successful future
of waste management and recycling in Kathmandu hinges on the collective
commitment of its citizens to embrace the simple, yet profoundly impactful, act
of segregating waste at its origin.
0 Comments