Monetary rewards will encourage waste management efforts among citizens

waste-management-services

Greentech Lead Asia: With effective waste-to-energy (WTE) and recycling strategy, the world can convert almost all forms of waste matter into useable substance. However many developing countries are yet to launch effective waste management strategies.

According to the data available at United Nations Environment Programme, the global waste and recycling industry collects more than 11 billion tons of solid waste and generates about $410 billion in revenue each year.

Consumer spending and population growth are driving the waste management industry, according to United Nations Environment Programme.

The waste management services industry is largest in developed nations that consume more resources and generate more waste. The developed countries have also succeeded in implementing effective waste management strategies.

The U.S. waste management  industry generates combined annual revenue of about $85 billion. The industry consists of about 18,000 companies.

In the U.K, strict regulations like landfill diversion have helped the industry grow 6.6 percent since 2006. Currently the U/K waste management market is worth £9.1bn. Despite economic downturn affecting several companies in the industry, overall waste management market in the U.K remains resilient.

The Republic of China has implemented a strategy to provide a credit of about $30 per MWh of electricity generated by means of WTE rather than by using fossil fuels. Over the past one decade China has increased WTE capacity from 2 to 14 million tons of municipal solid wastes, making the country the fourth largest user of WTE, after the EU, Japan, and the U.S.

Developing countries like India and Africa are lagging behind in waste management efforts mainly due to lack of capital and infrastructure.

In the recently held international conference on waste management at MP Council of Science and Technology (MPCOST) senior regional advisor of UN economic commission for Africa (UNECA) Stephen Max Donkor said, “The conditions of African countries and India are alike. In terms of disposal of bio-medical waste, Ghana is lagging far behind than the other countries.” According to Donkor, public and private bodies should get together to provide for a viable situation within a time limit.

India, world’s second largest country in terms of population, produces 68.8 million tons per year of Municipal Solid Waste or 188,500 tons per day. With this trend set to continue urban India will generate 160.5 million by 2041 and over the next decade some 920 million tons of solid waste will need to be properly managed.

Government regulations alone may not be sufficient to drive waste management efforts. Educating the public about the benefits of recycling and rewarding them appropriately for their cooperation could accelerate these efforts.

Bee’ah, a Sharjah-based waste management company, is following this scheme to motivate public to be part of their waste management efforts. The company is planning to introduce a reward system where each individual is awarded a monetary sum in exchange for any items they present for recycling. The amount will be determined based on the market value of the object being given to recycling.

Industry estimates say that UAE produces 2.5 kg of waste per person per day while 60 percent of the capital’s waste is from construction and demolition sites.

UAC Centre of Waste Management (CMM) has called for stricter rules and punishments for companies that have not integrated a proper waste management plan in their corporate strategy. Recently the

Electronic waste (e-waste) is emerging as a growing concern among developed and developing countries.

An estimated 50 million tons of e-waste are produced each year. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 15-20 percent of e-waste is recycled, the rest of these electronics go directly into landfills and incinerators.

Governments across the world should adopt effective measures to “recycle, reuse and recover” precious materials and use them effectively. Monetary rewards and other forms of incentives will boost these initiatives.

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