Better waste disposal needed

 ABOUT 281 tonnes of waste is disposed of in the capital city each day by the National Capital District, a solid-waste consultative seminar was told.

However, the figure amounts to only 60 per cent of the total waste collected per day, with the rest from settlements and villages left unattended, it was told.

NCD waste management manager Joshua Sam on Tuesday told the third consultative seminar on the NCD solid waste management plan 2016-2024 that “there is a huge need to improve waste collection to dispose the total waste produced”.

“One person generates about 0.68kg of waste per day,” Sam said.

He said there was inadequate waste collection in settlements and villages because private contractors were inefficient due to lack of specialised collection service in hazardous waste. The concern, Sam pointed out, could not be blamed on one aspect but rather a ripple effect that caused a chain reaction.

He said the Baruni Dump, which was recently upgraded, had a limited landfill volume as well as lack of security.

Sam said they were working at improving and enhancing operator skills, improve safety of waste pickers and establish specific facilities to pre-treat and dispose hazardous waste.

“More awareness on recycling conditions is needed but Government must also fund an establishment of a waste recycling technology system,” he said.

Sam stressed that their long-term plan focused on municipal solid waste for 2016-2025 – a period of 10 years. 

“Principles, strategies and targets to achieve the long-term plans are there,” he said. 

“The challenge is the implementation part.”

About 30 participants from NCD Commission and stakeholders attended.

A submission will be put together and given to the NCDC board for recommendation of a final solid-waste management action plan for the first three years, 2016-18.