Legal & Institutional Frameworks

The Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWMP) approach to solid waste management seeks to improve on traditional waste management activities through:

• Integrating the generation and management of waste with the wider economy, thereby encouraging all sectors of society to generate less waste.
• Maximizing, within local economic and capacity contexts, the recovery of value from wastes.
• Ensuring that residual wastes are disposed in ways that are protective of public health and the environment.
• Integrating financing and cost recovery frameworks into national and local decision-making in order to enhance the financial sustainability of waste management systems.
• Integrating opportunities for private sector actions in managing waste so as to broaden the resource base and strengthen capacity for managing solid wastes.
• Empowering local communities through enhanced public awareness and community participation with respect to solid waste management.

Work undertaken in 2000 identified that the absence of adequate solid waste management policy, legal and institutional frameworks is a major constraint to addressing these issues.

Two points are key:

• An adequate legal framework is essential for implementation of ISWM; no country in the METAP RSWMP has an adequate legal framework.
• Clarity of roles and responsibilities is essential to effective implementation of solid waste management systems; throughout the METAP RSWMP region, there are gaps and overlaps in institutional responsibilities for solid waste management.