INTEGRATED PLANNING: THE LINKS BETWEEN URBAN WASTE MANAGEMENT, SANITATION AND ENERGY

Issues and challenges  Global trend – rapid increase in volumes and changing characteristics of municipal solid waste  Average annual increases in China Non-industrial waste water: 6.4 % - Municipal solid waste: 13 %  E-waste: China produced 2.3 million tons in 2011 but 70% of global e-waste ends up there

MSW varies by GDP level  Types of MSW produced change according to the standard of living in the city

Financial, environmental and health impacts  In developing countries, MSW management costs % of city budget  But often only covers 50 % of urban population  In low-income countries, MSW collection alone drains % of waste management budgets  Open dumps and open burning continue to be the primary method of MSW disposal in most developing countries; hazards to human health

Conventional urban waste management  Focuses largely on waste collection, treatment (composting and incineration) and disposal (landfills)  Little or no resource value since no separation of wastes occurs  No attention to new waste streams  Landfill leachate pollutes ground water  Health hazards to waste workers; child labor

Integrated solid waste management  Waste prevention: more sustainable production processes  Waste minimization: ex. Reduction of packaging  Waste separation and recycling of valuable resources (e.g., plastics, glass, metals, biogas, e-waste)  Re-use (ex. construction waste, also example of cement plant)  Waste to energy schemes using high calorific value fraction of waste (incineration for electricity production or biogas generation)  Composting of biodegradable waste for fertilizer  Sanitary disposal: environmentally designed landfills reduce impacts

Utilization of wastes and by-products in a cement factory

Policy options for urban waste management  Developing meaningful partnerships with private sector to take pressure off public services and financing, and boost the local economy  Organize informal workers and communities for effective implementation of ISWM and 3Rs, particularly to increase recycling  Reducing MSW and aiming for “zero waste” (e.g., extended producer responsibility, such as vehicle tires and batteries)

Policy options (cont.)  Capturing energy from the waste stream  Incineration of high calorific value waste for electricity generation  Gasification of sewage sludge  Capture and use of landfill gas  New industrial process: plastics yield bio-diesel  Increasing the reuse of by- products and waste by industry (ex. Re-use of construction waste)

Key takeaway points  Integrated urban planning is the key to sustainability  Engage all city departments in city planning, as operations will be increasingly linked  Sustainability yields enormous economic, social and environmental benefits

Thank you Mohan Peck UN Consultant Shanghai Manual: A Guide for Sustainable Urban Development in the 21 st Century