Tsunami Waste Management Programme

Banda Aceh, 4 February 2005 - The destruction and damage caused by the tsunami has generated large volumes of solid waste. When not properly managed this waste can pose environmental hazards, serious dangers to public health and delay the process of recovery and rehabilitation. UNDP in close cooperation with the Indonesian government will start appropriate waste management and recycling initiatives for both the tsunami waste and municipal garbage in Banda Aceh. A first pilot project on tsunami waste management will start soon and will continue during the transition, rehabilitation and recovery phases.

A rapid inspection of waste in damaged areas and at dumpsites in Banda Aceh and Meulaboh reveals that a large part of the volume of waste is spoiled soil, damaged building materials and vegetative matter such as wood, branches and domestic refuse. Besides organic waste there is plastic, metal and items of unidentified origin; no significant presence of hazardous chemicals were found. Still, the waste can create environmental problems. Dumped into pits organic waste decomposes and produces a poisonous liquid that will get into the ground water and sea where it will destroy the marine eco system.

The inspection further showed that a large portion of the waste lends itself to be recycled. Recycling will reduce the need for landfill space and make materials available that can be used in the reconstruction of shelter and houses. There are seven types of waste suitable for re-use or recycling: Concrete, wood, dirt, plastic, metal, vegetative waste, and other types.

The joint Government and UNDP tsunami waste management facility for Banda Aceh is expected to be up and running within a week. It will involve a labour intensive collecting and sorting of waste. The pilot project will provide immediate employment for 100 tsunami survivors and will expand to employ 1000 in Banda Aceh and up to 30.000 in all the affected regions and towns. The workers will receive a daily wage, health and safety training and appropriate clothing and vaccinations. Existing scavengers are also invited to join the programme. By making waste collection formal UNDP expects to create employment, speed up recovery as well as provide much needed building materials to be used in reconstruction.

The recovered materials will be sorted to be sold for recycling (plastic and metal), used as compost for land regeneration (organic waste), fill for eroded areas (dirt, crushed concrete and stone), or construction of homes or transitional housing (bricks, wood).

The project will start small scale, with limited use of UNDP heavy equipment. After most of the saleable materials have been retrieved, heavy equipment such as stone crushers and wood shredders will be brought in. The programme will involve the direct participation of the municipal authorities of Banda Aceh.

MUNICIPAL GARBAGE COLLECTION: LONGER TERM RECOVERY

In large parts of Banda Aceh domestic waste is not collected but burned or dumped in gardens or by the roadside. This practice has a serious impact on public health, sanitation and air quality. To deal with the even increasing piles of domestic waste UNDP, together with the Government, designed a strategy for long-term sustainable municipal garbage collection and recycling. The immediate need is to resume the collection of domestic waste. In collaboration with the municipal authorities UNDP will identify suitable locations for permanent, properly constructed land fills. In the meantime efforts are made to upgrade waste management at existing city dumps.

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For further information, please contact: Mieke Kooistra at mieke.kooistra@undp.org or +62 0811-193072; Elis Nurhayati at elis.nurhayati@undp.org or (021) 3141308 Ext. 183

Sites visits and interviews with UNDP Waste Management Adviser Tim Walsh can be arranged on request.

UNDP is the United Nations worldwide development network. It advocates change and provides countries with access to the knowledge, skills and resources their populations need to improve their lives.

Latest information on tsunami disaster efforts is available at: http://www.undp.org/bcpr/ or http://www.undp.or.id/tsunami/