Disna MUDALIGE

We must ourselves carve out solutions for the problems created by us. Instant or ready made solutions may not be available for them. The problems which have become complicated due to long years of negligence and inaction would be impossible to be solved overnight. However, saying that, it is not prudent for all of us to just sit and worry assuming that nothing can be changed. If you wish to bring about a change leading to a long lasting solution, you must at least begin somewhere.

ILO Green Jobs National Project Coordinator Shyama Salgado

This line of thought I believe suits the efforts of 'garbage' or as now referred 'solid waste' management in Sri Lanka. As estimated the daily waste generation in our country amounts to about 6,700 tons. However, as reported only about 2,800 tons of waste is being collected daily. The per capita solid waste generation in Sri Lanka is 0.4kgs.

The solid waste has become a real menace in the Western Province. The daily waste collection from the Western Province is over 1,600 tons. Local Government Authorities (LGAs) in Sri Lanka are responsible for collection and disposal of waste generated by the people within their territories. This provision is made in the Local Government Act.

However, LGAs alone are unable to cope with this menace due to lack of financial, technological and human resources and knowledge. The assistance of the Central Government and NGOs concentrating on this aspect is much needed for this task. The efforts of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Green Jobs Project in Sri Lanka to push forward the country for a positive change in the solid waste sector with the coordination of all relevant stakeholders is praiseworthy in this light.

The ILO launched its Green Jobs in Asia programme in Sri Lanka in the last half of 2010. Sri Lanka chapter is one among five Asian countries where this project operates. The other four countries are Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh and Nepal. In the Sri Lankan project, we have focused the waste sector, while Bangladesh project focuses on solar paneling, Philippines on green constructions and Indonesia on eco-tourism. Globally we look at eight key sectors. They are fisheries, agriculture, forestry, fishing, energy, resource-intensive manufacturing, recycling, building and transport, Green Jobs National Project Coordinator Shyama Salgado explained.

This timely project addresses the issues in the solid waste sector in a more planned and practical manner. The most common method of disposing the solid waste collected is open dumping, which has led to numerous environmental and health issues. Production of compost from the municipal waste is one recommended option for the LGAs to follow. However, to initiate such a project, the waste should be separated into bio-degradables and non-biodegradables. About 55 to 60 percent of the waste collected in Sri Lanka consists of bio-degradable parts.

Waste can be separated during the collection and at the dumping site. For that, the LGAs must be provided with necessary equipment and trained workers. The ILO under the Green Job project extends its support to selected LGAs to convert the waste into a valuable resource through value addition.

It also concentrates on the welfare of lower level workers in the waste sector such as waste collectors and separators of whom the majority are informal workers.

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