Myanmar, Cambodia, Sustainable Solid Waste & Plastic Management

Project Summary:

The objective of this grant is to provide solutions through policy reform, to Solid Waste Management in the East Asia region. The objective is to draw attention to the effects of inadequate waste management and the impact of solid waste on the environment and health. Inadequate waste management is a growing problem that poses a threat to public health and potential economic growth in Cambodia, Myanmar and the Philippines. Without intervention, it not only endangers the health and livelihoods of growing populations but poses serious danger to the fisheries sector and coastal areas—ultimately, affecting the growing tourism sector.  

KGGTF supports Solid Waste Management sector activities including improving solid waste collection services, community mobilization and awareness creation and incentive based improved waste collection and several activities that address the impact of mismanaged solid waste. Furthermore, this grant responds to the urgency for reform and investment in this sector through large scale information, an education and communication campaign, development of integrated management information system and preparation of solid waste masterplan for Metro Manila. Through solutions funded by KGGTF resources, and cooperation between the World Bank and the Korean Environment Institute & Technology Institute (KEITI), the focus of this program is knowledge sharing, capacity building, sharing of efficient work practices and seeking benefits through regional advocacy.  

List of Activities:

1. Economic impacts to tourism industry, loss of health and productivity -
2. Solid Waste Management investment identification, planning and regulatory and institutional recommendations, including capacity building and knowledge exchange on good international practice for Solid Waste Investments and Management:
3. Development of Solid Waste Management and Investment Plan plus Capacity Building and knowledge exchange for sector planning, investment prioritization and financing
4. Dissemination and capacity building of all components

Outcomes:

Output 1:

• 1-1. Identification and quantification of economic impacts in case of inaction on SWM
• 1-2. Identification and quantification of loss of health and its economic impacts in case of inaction to improve SWM

Output 2:

• 2.1. Identification and functional design of solid waste sector investments
• 2.2. Investment and operational cost estimates as well as financial cost recovery mechanisms and financial planning including government contribution for sustainable improvement of solid waste management. SWM Strategy and regulatory and institutional recommendations and planning.
• 2.3. Pre-feasibility studies of priority investments in solid waste management, particularly Cambodia 

Output 3:

• Solid Waste Management Sector Development and Investment Plan for all countries

Output 4:

• Knowledge exchange of good international practice, Dissemination of sector recommendations 

Outcomes:

• The objective of the KGGTF engagement will support the three countries to define and prioritize SWM sector development and investments together with the required government policies, legislation and monitoring/enforcement and financing reform. The expected outcomes are:
• (i) improved efficiency, as measures will be identified and designed to promote reuse and recycling as well as smart investments in more advanced SWM and recycling infrastructure. This will be done in combination with measures to optimize solid waste collection and transport which will further improve the efficiency of solid waste management;
• (ii) greater resilience and greening is embedded in the activity design as the functional design for solid waste infrastructure will be based on good international practice which includes taking into account resilience considerations where required and provide for better environmental and health conditions. Furthermore, the improved solid waste infrastructure will reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Better disposal of waste and application of new technologies will reduce Short-lived Climate Pollutants such as Methane which has very high greenhouse effects and will consequently mitigate climate change;
• (iii) increased competitiveness will be achieved specifically in the tourism sector of the respective countries as research has demonstrated that specifically the tourism produce is sensitive to degradation of natural and historic tourism resources due to pollution and solid waste. In addition, the beneficiary cities and regions will -in itself- increase their competitiveness due to improved environmental infrastructure without environmental and health impacts on its population and better health outcomes will benefit the competitiveness of the population directly. In addition, the program is foreseen to lead to improved environmental quality and health outcomes mainly from reducing the illegal dumping of waste and move away from waste dumpsites that do not adequately protect the soil, water and air contamination. It will also strengthen environmental governance through monitoring and reporting mechanisms for the quantity and composition of the waste generation and better monitoring and enforcement of the collection, transport and treatment/disposal as well as citizens engagement for participation on better collection and reduction, reuse and recycling of waste.

Collaboration with K-Partners and Others:

• Korean Environment Institute (KEITI)
• Korean Environment Cooperation (K-ECO)
• Sudokwan Landfill Site Management Corporation
• The Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Public Works and Transport of Cambodia
• The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Conservation of Myanmar
• Yangon City Development Committee and Mandalay City Development Committee
• The Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Department of Interior and Local Government of the Philippines