Project Detail

A Demonstration Project for Controlling Persistant Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Minuwangoda town, Gampaha District by Sevanatha

This proposal contains a new demonstration for controlling the generation of POPs by involving the city?s stakeholders and local authorities to initiate sustainable action which would serve as a workable model to other local authorities in Sri Lanka. Sevanatha, working with the Minuwangoda Urban Council, intends to hold this demonstration project in Minuwangoda town, aimed at controlling persistent organic pollutants (POPs) generated through the improper handling of solid waste, such as the dumping of mixed waste and the burning of polythene, plastic and other hazardous waste.

Minuwangoda is a small suburban town in the Greater Colombo area. It is estimated that about 10 tons of POPs per month is disposed with organic waste in town. The current process of waste disposal is to dump it and then cover the waste with layers of soil, allowing POPs and other harmful chemicals to seep into the land.

The project will rely on extensive community awareness on minimizing the usage of POPs along with promoting ways to properly manage POPs waste by way of source separation and collection. Safe handling and recycling of POPs waste will be undertaken by the relevant stakeholders. Sevanatha hopes to change the attitudes of the community towards waste disposal, leading to a cleaner environment.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Sevanatha

Country:

Sri lanka

Area Of Work:

Chemicals

Operational Phase:

OP3 - Y2 (Mar 06 - Feb 07)

Grant Amount:

US$ 20,370.00

Co-Financing Cash:

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 5,221.00

Project Number:

SRL/06/26

Start Date:

3/2007

End Date:

1/2008

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Notable Community Participation

Community members and school children will actively participate in awareness meetings and workshops. The community members that are involved in the project were formed into small groups; there are about 20 such groups currently in operation. Each family has also contributed Rs. 300/= to purchase compost bins, in order to continue with the source separation of the waste.

Project sustainability

Local NGOs and civil society group networks are required to ensure continuation of the project initiatives. More sub collection centers are needed and a methodology for the disposal of waste that are sources for POPs as well as other household hazardous wastes such as batteries, fluorescent bulbs collected in Collection Centers need to be determined. A monitoring and improvement mechanism of already implemented project initiatives will be important

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

Managing solid waste will generate a source of income for each household engaged in the project. Home gardening will also be promoted as part of the environmental improvement initiative, which will contribute to enhancing the livelihoods of those involved.

Capacity - Building Component

The project will build the capacity of the project members by improving their knowledge on how to safely handle solid waste as well as how to organize into active community based organizations.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

The project will hold stakeholder awareness programmes for community groups, school children and government officials. Officials from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and the Central Environmental Authority will also be invited to deliver lectures on global environmental issues. The grantee organization?s project team will present as well on highlighted environmental issues based on the global situation at community group meetings.

Policy Impact

This project will be shared among policymakers, enabling them to introduce projects and programmes to control POPs.

Project Results

Subsequent to the project, the Minuwangoda UC is collecting segregated waste from households and other generators.

100 families are successfully implementing the demonstration project on household composting and the Minuwangoda UC is periodically monitoring the recipient households. The UC intents to provide 150 bins during the year 2008 further houses to extend the initiative.

About 500 kg of POPs generating waste have been collected during the past 08 months, and stored in the collection center, awaiting environmentally sound disposal.

Eight (08) MT of Polythene and plastic waste have been collected, stored and subsequently sold to recyclers, which earned a sum of about Rs. 60,000 for the UC.

The workforce and waste handlers have been trained on waste handling methods and basic waste management techniques

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