UN-Habitat conducts study on plastic leakage in Mangaluru with MCC, Hasiru Dala & APD Foundation
Survey Carried Out By Volunteers
In a unique initiative, UN-Habitat, an international programme of the United Nations have partnered with Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC), Hasiru Dala and APD Foundation for undertaking a survey-based study of potential plastic leakage from municipal solid waste management systems. The study will help to understand and strengthen waste management in the city.
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) has been working closely with the union government in promoting policies and programmes on mutually agreed to technical cooperation initiatives in support of sustainable urbanization, promoting climate-smart and nature-based urban development, waste-wise cities programme and the implementation of new urban agenda to achieve sustainable development goals especially Goal 11.
Under the project, “Waste Wise Cities: Tackling Plastic Waste in the Environment”, launched in six target cities (two cities each in Ethiopia, India and Kenya), UN-Habitat has been mapping the waste flows and assessing potential plastic leakage from waste management systems and identify short and long term pathways to increase the amount of plastic waste collected, recycled and recovered through the application of the Waste Wise Cities Tool (WaCT).
The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), an international not-for-profit organization has funded the project by partnering with government, environmental and economic development organisations, UN agencies and communities around the world to address the challenge and bring innovative solutions to end plastic waste in the environment. UN-Habitat is one of the strategic partners with the Alliance and is implementing the project in two Indian cities, that is, Mangaluru and Thiruvananthapuram.
About 20 volunteers of Hasiru Dala and APD Foundation participated in this assessment study that entailed sampling of household waste, commercial and institutional waste to understand waste characterization and leakages across the value chain in Mangaluru city. The assessment study, which spanned the entire city, lasted for 10 days from April 16 to 27. Additionally, the team also conducted a detailed survey of resource recovery facilities within the city (both formal and informal) to assess the recovery of resources. A thorough landfill site assessment was also conducted by the team.
UN-Habitat India officials – Swati Singh Sambyal, waste management specialist Jogesh Arora, programme specialist and Kartik Kapoor, waste management consultant, led the work in Mangaluru with support from Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) and representatives from Hasiru Dala and APD Foundation – Vanishree B R and Nagaraj Raghava Anchan.
“This ground assessment under the project will help the city to better understand the critical areas and issues where the waste management can be strengthened, to make better actions plans and decision making on solid waste management and to promote investments that are focusing on circular economy and resource recovery,” said Swati Singh Sambyal.
This post has been published in arrangement with Jaideep J Shenoy
