Publication

Solid waste management is one of the major environmental burdens particularly in megacities of many developed and developing Asian countries. An alarming rate of solid waste generation trends can be seen parallel to urbanization, industrialization and economic development. This environmental burden continues to be a major pressing issue threatening the environment and health of the people. Unless environmental measures are introduced and effectively enforced, continuing burdens of solid waste management will be inevitable. This report presents and discusses the status-quo and issues of Municipal Waste in 14 countries in Southeast and East Asia. Aspects of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) included herein are generation and composition, policies and regulations, economic instruments, current practices of MSW and other management strategies. The report also presents some propositions and policy recommendations in order to determine regional collective actions on the status-quo and issues regarding Municipal Waste. The Thematic Working Group on Solid and Hazardous Waste (Waste TWG) secretariat compiled this report from 14 countries in Southeast and East Asia. The report has been reviewed and discussed during the Second Waste TWG meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia on December 2008 and the Fourth High-Level Officials’ meeting in Beijing, PR China on March 2009. Additional data and information from member countries has been updated and incorporated in the report.