Mobilizing resources to collect municipal solid waste: illustrative East Asian case studies

Abstract

Experience in several East Asian countries of collecting and disposing of municipal solid waste (MSW) through the mobilization of locally available resources is discussed. These resources are represented by various stakeholders in MSW management, namely, the public sector, the formal private sector, the informal private sector and community and non- governmental organizations. Attention is given to the nature of MSW, the nature and role of each major MSW stakeholder, the constraints to the development of partnerships among MSW stakeholders, illustrative case studies of MSW resource mobilization in East Asia and lessons learned from these experiences. Among the lessons learned are the critical importance of: (1) a service-oriented collaboration between public MSW authorities and other MSW community resource stakeholders; (2) the involvement of all MSW stakeholders in MSW decision- making ; (3) the selection of affordable and sustainable MSW management technologies; and (4) the identification and recovery of MSW investment, collection and disposal costs.