February 2007
Asian Cities 1.8m Tonne Waste Problem
The expansion of Asian cities coupled with major industrial growth, increased personal consumption and an inefficient use of resources are leading to unprecedented levels of waste in Asia. The Asian Development Bank states that cities on the continent will generate an estimated of 1.8 million tonnes of waste per day by 2025.
The bank issued a warning that the current waste handling capacities of almost all governments in the region would be totally overwhelmed by increasing amounts of waste:
"New production and consumption patterns have radically altered both the quantity and the nature of wastes ... that need to be managed, especially in urban area. Rapidly expanding cities are being overwhelmed by the growing volume and toxicity of wastes disposed on land and into the air and waterways."
A 1999 World Bank report attempted to address the problem of "Solid waste management in Asia";, and found ever increasing causes for concern.
At present, waste is generated at the rate of 760,000 tonnes per day in Asian cities with $25 billion being spent every year on managing this problem. However, even the projected doubling of the figure to $50 billion in 2025 may not be enough to tackle this.
Part of the problem is differing levels of waste processing. Whereas Japan spends at the ratio of 10:1 on disposal versus collection costs which includes extensive recycling, low income countries find these figures reversed. Often a figure of 4:1 of collection versus disposal costs is closer to truth, with disposal usually consisting of massive landfill or incineration.
Moreover, in the growing economies of Asia, municipal governments are finding themselves overwhelmed by the migration of people to cities from the countryside and the additional waste that they produce. Waste disposal often takes a low priority when faced with such massive social problems and enforcement mechanisms all too frequently break down, allowing the illegal dumping of toxic materials.
Prioritisation of resources within disposal management itself is also problematic. Generally, solid waste planners place too much emphasis on residential waste. This waste represents only about 30 percent of the overall municipal waste stream but often receives the lion’s share of funds, whereas waste components requiring priority attention in Asia are organics and paper.
Indeed, in terms of waste management trends, no region of the world faces a greater problem than Asia. There is an inextricable link between increasing affluence and quantities of waste generated by a burgeoning consumer base. If Asia follows US consumption & disposal trends (as Hong Kong has done) versus those of European urbanites, near total collapse of waste disposal systems in Asia is inevitable.
For example, industrialized countries contain 16 percent of the world’s population but use about 75 percent of the world’s paper supply. As residents of India, Indonesia, and China, aspire to be as affluent as consumers in the more industrialized nations, keeping up with demand would require a doubling of the world’s current level of paper production in the next 20 years..
The ADB further states that treatment or disposal of waste "is increasingly beyond the financial resources or political will of many national and municipal governments", yet paradoxically suggest that Asia should pursue regional approaches to many solid waste management problems.
But there is hope. To increase efficiency and reduce waste, the ADB along with the U.N. Environment Programme and other institutions hosted a two-day workshop on waste management and efficient use of resources in East and Southeast Asia. Involving companies from various sectors as well as governments, the participants hope to form a comprehensive vision for the future.
The events are part of an ADB initiative called the "3Rs" -- reduce, reuse, and recycle waste management. The initiative was launched in 2005 in Tokyo, based on an agreement of by G8 to promote more efficient production and consumption and environmental conservation.
Participants from governments, the private sector, scholars, and public and private groups will try to identify opportunities for investments in waste and resource management, as well as policies and programs that could be included in national strategies, the ADB said. This would provide business opportunities for the private sector, whose involvement will be crucial in tackling Asia’s waste problem.
Does your organisation have growing waste issues? Pro Enviro can help, contact Steve Stones for a no obligation chat about innovate waste solutions on 01788 538 150.
Print this page