BEST PRACTICES ON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT OF NEPALESE CITIES
URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
WEPCO for Urban
Environmental Protection
Introduction
The Women's Environment Preservation Committee
(WEPCO) is a popular non-governmental organisation,
established in May 1992 in Ward no. 1 of Lalitpur Sub
Metropolitan City. WEPCO believes that most HH solid
waste can be handled properly by women according to
the Nepalese social traditions. A group of 35 housewives
were initially trained by an NGO on managing solid
waste (WEPCO, 2008). The group found many ways to
convince local people about the need to tackle the
problem of careless dumping of solid waste in public
places.
Rationale for selection
This case was selected because it provides information
on what women can do to improve the urban
environment and on the impact of an NGO.
Case description
Before the intervention described here, the residents of
Kupondol were not aware of the serious problems caused
by inadequate management of solid waste. There was a
widespread problem of open dumping because of
inadequate waste collection. Likewise, people were not
aware of the benefits of segregating waste and recycling.
The main objectives of WEPCO activities is to work with
local communities to establish clean and hygienic urban
environments, to empower women to manage solid
waste issues in their localities, to increase
environmental awareness among urban communities
and school children with the 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)
concept, and to use solid waste management as a
catalyst for institutional development (WEPCO, 2008
data). Training is provided in the fields of composting
and vermicomposting, paper recycling, leadership,
capacity building and gender issues.
A major focus for WEPCO activity is educational
campaigns, running school environment training camps,
and helping to establish school eco-clubs to raise
awareness on waste and environmental issues among
school children. It also promotes Green Circle initiatives
that involve businesses in Nepal. Various foreign
consulates and embassies, the Chaudary group, Dabur
Nepal, and INGOs are supporting the paper recycling
activity by segregating their paper waste and donating
it to WEPCO.
After inputs from WEPCO on waste minimisation and
recycling, residents in ward no. 1 realized that the central
Government and the Municipality could not handle the
problem of solid waste without their co-operation.
WEPCO's efforts changed the common perception of solid
waste management. A clear demonstration of this change
of attitude was seen during the three-week nationwide
Name of the Programme: WEPCO for Urban Environmental Protection
Location: Ward no. 1, Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City
Duration of the Project: 1992 onwards
Beneficiaries: Residents of Ward no. 1 and parts of Wards no. 2 & 22
Donors and Partners: LSMC, Foreign consulate offices and embassies at Kathmandu, Chaudary group, Dabur Nepal etc.
Vision of the programme: To live in a clean and pollution-free urban environment in the Kathmandu valley
45