A quarterly newsletter linkingdevelopment workearound the world

A quarterly newsletter linking development workers around the world

No.59 JUNE 2004 POLLUTION

Footsteps

• La Moya ecological reserve

• Letters

• Bible study: Caring creatively forGod’s world

• Creative ways of reusing materials

• Household waste management

• Reducing indoor air pollution

• Action against plastic bags

• Resources

• Household rubbish pits

IN THIS ISSUE

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There are three things we can do to limit theimpact of rubbish on the environment –reduce, reuse and recycle.

ReduceThe best solution is to reduce the rubbish wemake in the first place. For example, weshould only buy products that do not havemuch packaging and that we really need.

Think carefully about what kinds ofmaterials are used in the things we buy.Once they become rubbish, they might takea long time to decay.

Reduce, reuse,recycle

Plastics There are nearly 50 kinds ofplastics commonly used to makeeverything from juice containers andrubbish bags to windows and doors.Many plastics are strong and durable.They won’t rot, decay or dissolve.However, making plastic uses a lot ofenergy. Many plastic products cannot beused again, so we throw them out. Theproblem with plastic rubbish is that itturns into poisonous products. Forexample, vinyl, which is used to makebottles, car parts and pens, pollutes thesoil if it is buried and releases poisonoussubstances into the air if it is burned. Weshould try to reduce the amount ofplastics that we use. However, some

We all produce rubbish. Usually we don’t think about it. We justthrow it away. But the world is running out of room to store all therubbish that is piling up. If left lying around, rubbish becomes ahealth hazard and looks ugly. Burning rubbish pollutes the air andthe ashes are often toxic. Sometimes rubbish is dumped into riversand lakes and pollutes the water. Often rubbish is buried in theground. Buried rubbish may contain toxic substances that leakinto the soil and pollute the water supply.

Newspaper a few weeks

Leather shoes up to 50 years

Cardboard boxes several months

Thin plastic up to 5 years

Banana leaves a few weeks

Tyres unknown

Plastic bags 10–20 years or even hundreds of years,

depending on the type of plastic

Scrap metals up to 50 years

Aluminium cans up to 80 years

Plastic bottles hundreds of years

Glass fragments thousands of years

How long does it take for rubbish to decay?

waste, such as needles, syringes, oldmedicines and soiled bandages can alsobe very dangerous. Hazardous waste canseriously damage the environment andour health.

Toxic waste Somehazardous waste ispoisonous. If touched,this kind of waste can getinto the body and causecancer or other diseases. It can seriouslyharm unborn babies. It can also get into

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FO O T S T E P S 59

FootstepsISSN 0962 2861

Footsteps is a quarterly paper, linking health anddevelopment workers worldwide. Tearfund,publisher of Footsteps, hopes that it will providethe stimulus of new ideas and enthusiasm. It is away of encouraging Christians of all nations asthey work together towards creating wholeness inour communities.

Footsteps is free of charge to individuals workingto promote health and development. It is availablein English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.Donations are welcomed.

Readers are invited to contribute views, articles,letters and photos.

Editor: Isabel CarterPO Box 200, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV16 4WQ, UK

Tel: +44 1746 768750Fax: +44 1746 764594E-mail: footsteps@tearfund.orgWeb site: www.tilz.info

Sub Editor: Rachel Blackman

Language Editor: Sheila Melot

Administrators: Judy Mondon, Sarah Carter

Editorial Committee: Ann Ashworth, SimonBatchelor, Mike Carter, Paul Dean, RichardFranceys, Martin Jennings, Ted Lankester, Simon Larkin, Sandra Michie, Nigel Poole, Alan Robinson, José Smith, Ian Wallace

Illustrator: Rod Mill

Design: Wingfinger Graphics, Leeds

Printed by Aldridge Print Group from sustainableor renewable resources, using environmentallyfriendly processes

Translation: S Boyd, L Bustamante, Dr J Cruz, S Dale-Pimentil, N Gemmell, L Gray, R Head, M Machado, O Martin, N Mauriange, J Perry, L Weiss

Mailing List: Write, giving brief details of yourwork and stating preferred language, to: FootstepsMailing List, PO Box 200, Bridgnorth, Shropshire,WV16 4WQ, UK.E-mail: judy.mondon@tearfund.org

Change of address: Please give us the referencenumber from your address label when informingus of a change of address.

Articles and illustrations from Footsteps may beadapted for use in training materials encouraginghealth and development provided the materials aredistributed free of charge and that credit is givento Footsteps, Tearfund. Permission should beobtained before reprinting Footsteps material.

Opinions and views expressed in the letters andarticles do not necessarily reflect the views of theEditor or Tearfund. Technical information suppliedin Footsteps is checked as thoroughly as possible,but we cannot accept responsibility should anyproblems occur.

Tearfund is an evangelical Christian relief anddevelopment agency working through localpartners to bring help and hope to communities inneed around the world. Tearfund, 100 ChurchRoad, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 8QE, UK. Tel: +44 20 8977 9144

Published by Tearfund. A company limited byguarantee. Regd in England No 994339. RegdCharity No 265464.

plastics can be recycled to make haircombs, floor tiles and polyester clothing.

Reuse People are often very imaginative inreusing items, rather than throwing themaway. For example, we can flatten emptyaluminium cans and use them as sheetmetal. We can make furniture out ofscrap wood and use well-washed glassjars to store foods, carpentry and officesupplies. More examples are given onpages 8–9 in this issue of Footsteps.

Recycle If items such as glass bottles, metal andtin cans, newspapers and plastics cannotbe reused, it may be possible for them tobe recycled. For example, glass iswashed in special factories, broken intopieces and then melted down into ‘new’glass ready to be made into somethingelse. Some countries have factories thatwill recycle these materials.

Hazardous wasteSome kinds of rubbish are more danger-ous than others. Dangerous rubbish iscalled hazardous waste. This includeschemical rubbish such as batteries, floorcleaning liquid and insecticides. Medical

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We can reuse materials for packaging or use natural products.

Rubbish can spread disease and pollute the water supply.

3FO O T S T E P S 59

WASTE MANAGEMENT

EDITORIAL

Pollution is a problem in all countries, but the source of the problem may lie elsewhere. Asconsumption increases, pollution usually increases. The State of the World 2004 report by theWorldwatch Institute contains some alarming statistics. The 12% of the world’s population living inNorth America and Western Europe account for 60% of the world’s consumption, while the 33%living in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa account for only 3%.

These consumption patterns have a great impact on the environment. For example, pollution fromtransport, industry, energy production and large waste sites affects the world’s climate. Thiscontributes to global warming and increases the risk of floods and droughts. Industry and loggingin the South – which are often producing exports for the North – may do great damage to theenvironment.

This issue of Footsteps challenges us to think about what can be done to reduce the effects ofpollution. Advocacy work can be really important. The article about La Moya ecological reservelooks at how action by a few committed people helped to clean up the local area. We look at what isbeing done by governments to reduce the use of plastic bags in various countries. Other articlesfocus on reducing the amount of rubbish we produce. The centre pages look at creative ways thatrubbish can be used again. There is an article about how an NGO in Bangladesh set up a project toturn organic waste into compost. We also look at less obvious types of pollution, such as smokepollution within some Kenyan homes.

The Bible study helps us to think about what our attitude towards God’s earth should be, andchallenges us to take environmental issues seriously.

I have really enjoyed taking over the editing of this issue.

Future issues will look at facilitation skills and the impact of HIV andAIDS on children.

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the air, water and soil, and kill fish andanimals. Poisonous waste comes fromsuch things as cleaning products, ratpoison and pesticides. This type of wasteusually has a picture of a skull on thecontainer.

Corrosive waste Somehazardous waste dissolvesalmost anything it touches,even human flesh.Corrosive waste comesfrom such things as batteries, drain andoven cleaners, and ammonia-basedcleaners. It usually has a picture of askeleton hand on the container.

Flammable waste Somehazardous waste can catchfire and release toxicfumes into the air.Examples are gasoline,oils and paint cleaners. Flammable wasteusually has a picture of fire on thecontainer.

Explosive waste Somehazardous waste canblow up when it is mixedwith other chemicals or ifit is dropped on theground. Explosivechemicals are found in spray cans,gasoline and lighter fluid. Explosivewaste usually has a picture of a burstingball on the container.

If a container has any of these pictureson it, handle it very carefully. It oncecontained dangerous material and mightstill have some waste in it. Never burnthese containers because the heat willrelease poisonous gases and smoke intothe air. Be aware that often containershave no warning signs on them.

Governments around the world areslowly forcing industries to make wasteless hazardous. In the meantime, we cando our part to handle hazardous wasteproperly. Never pour toxic liquid, suchas used motor oil, paint and pesticidesinto rivers or lakes or down the sink.Store them separately and find thenearest site that will take them and getrid of them safely. This is very importantfor our health and for the health of theenvironment.

Adapted from Developing Countries FarmRadio network – Package 43, Script 4, Jan1997 and Package 50, Script 10, Nov 1998 Rachel Blackman, Sub Editor

community leadership changes eachyear. This showed the need forawareness-raising to be done at all levelsof the community.

The other indigenous community at firstaccused Pastor Eron of wanting tochallenge their traditions and drive themfrom their traditional lands. They alsosaw little reason to co-operate as most of

Action to save La MoyaIn 1999, Pastor Eron of The InstitutoBíblico de Ayaviri (Bible Institute ofAyaviri) started raising awareness aboutthe need to protect the reserve. Beingable to speak Quechua, he met with theleader of one indigenous communityand persuaded him of the need to keepthe reserve clean. However, the

Reasons for pollution

■ People from the town dump their rubbish in La Moya reserve. This practice has been going onfor centuries but now it is much worse due to the increase in population and manufacturedgoods. This practice is particularly bad during Christmas festivals. In some places rubbish isone metre deep.

■ Running water is available for only a few hours each day in Ayaviri, so people go to the river towash their clothes. Studies have shown that each day 10–15kg of detergent flows down the riverinto La Moya.

■ Because La Moya is the only green place in the area, people often go there for sports. This isstarting to destroy the ecosystem on the drier parts of the reserve, which are turning to dust.

■ Ayaviri is on a slope, so all the dirty water and rubbish from the town flows into the reserve.There is no drainage system to prevent this happening.

■ Animals that use La Moya in the dry season cause contamination by their excrement.

Consequences of pollution

■ The presence of rubbish means that La Moya is losing its beauty.

■ Pollution leads to a shrinking in the size of the ecological system, which could disappear if thepollution continues.

■ If La Moya becomes too small or disappears, the livelihoods of the two indigenouscommunities will be under threat.

Pollution in La Moya

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ENVIRONMENT

FO O T S T E P S 59

La Moya ecological reserve

by Loida Carriel and Graham Gordon

the pollution and contamination camefrom the town of Ayaviri.

Action to save La Moya included:

■ ‘cleaning days’, when the localinstitutions, such as the town council,university, museum and schools,together with people from the townand the communities, got togetherand cleared rubbish from the reserve

■ removing rubbish from the reserve’slake

■ distributing leaflets urging people toprotect their local environment

■ broadcasting regular environmentaleducation programmes on the localradio.

Networks for changeThe Bible Institute decided to develop anetwork of organisations to support thework. Tearfund partner Paz y Esperanza(Peace and Hope) helped them toproduce awareness-raising materials andto think through their plans for change.They worked with the museum whichhelped with scientific research into thecauses and effects of the damge to LaMoya. Together they wrote about thehistory of the area to show the historicaland cultural importance of the reserve.

A special group, called Mesa deConcertación (Round Table), wasestablished to facilitate discussionsbetween the local organisations andcommunities. It also helps to plan thedevelopment of the area. Many localinstitutions and groups are part of thisprocess.

Ayaviri is a town of 17,000 people, situated in the Andes mountainsin Peru. It surrounds an ecological reserve called La Moya, which isthe only place in the district that remains green throughout the year.La Moya has important historical and cultural significance. Twoindigenous communities (traditional inhabitants) live on the edge ofLa Moya, and share it with Ayaviri. The communities keep animalsin surrounding fields and during the dry season they depend on LaMoya for food. However, La Moya has started to become pollutedand is in danger of disappearing.

Women washing clothes in the La Moya reserve.

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ENVIRONMENT

the future of the area. They are stillsuspicious of the local authorities andfear that their land will be taken away.

As a result of this and other problems,the Bible Institute plans to:

■ work with the Mesa de Concertaciónto ensure that it includes theindigenous communities and thepoorest people in Ayaviri in theconsultation and planning process

■ continue to build relationships withthe indigenous communities and helpthem to understand the causes of theirpoverty better. Then they can developtheir own plans for La Moya and theirfuture

■ continue to raise awareness of theneed to protect the environment

■ strengthen contacts with organis-ations who can help get funding andcan help with educational materialsand activities that will build thecapacity of the communities to takepart

■ mobilise members of the church tobecome more involved. In June 2003Pastor Eron formed a working groupwhich includes members from hischurch and members from the localcommunity.

The authors work in Peru for Tearfundpartner Paz y Esperanza (Peace and Hope).

Paz y Esperanza, APDO, 181257Lima 18, Peru E-mail: aspazes@pazyesperanza.org

Communities surround La Moya ecological reserve and graze their animals there.

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There has been opposition to this work.For example, the candidates involved inthe election for the mayor during 2002accused those involved in the La Moyacampaign of using it as a way to gainpolitical power.

Results of the campaignIn December 2001, the mayor passed alaw to prevent dumping of rubbish in LaMoya reserve. He said that theChristmas celebrations, which areresponsible for much of the rubbish,needed to take place elsewhere.

In November 2002 the mayor passed alaw giving powers to an ‘ecologicalpatrol’. This patrol will guard the reserveand fine people for dropping litter orurinating in La Moya.

La Moya is much cleaner now as a resultof the cleaning days and a change inbehaviour. The level of awareness in thecommunities and the town is muchhigher, and they see the protection of LaMoya as an issue that they need to helpsolve.

Future issues to addressThe action taken so far will not provide long-term solutions as it has notaddressed the root causes of the damage.The campaign is now addressing theseissues. There is a need to:

■ provide more running water tohouses so that people do not need towash their clothes in the river

■ supply drinking water to theindigenous communities and Ayaviri

■ provide alternative places to putrubbish

■ find a way to stop infected andpolluted water running into La Moya

■ offer an alternative area for sports

■ ensure that the laws passed areenforced by each new mayor andtown council

■ build the capacity of the localcommunities to advocate for change.The new mayor has developed aproposal to turn La Moya into atourist reserve, without consulting thelocal people or the Mesa deConcertación.

Another problem is that the twoindigenous communities have had littleparticipation in any discussions about

Pastor Eron (third from right) with members of one indigenous community, whose livelihoods are beingbadly affected by pollution in La Moya.

Increasing chickenproductionWe have developed these useful ideasfor increasing production of our localpoultry. We would like to share themwith others.

■ Have about 20 free-range henslaying eggs, with one or twocockerels.

■ Every day, collect and store theireggs in a cool, dark place.

■ Once the hens have laid enougheggs they will want to start sitting.Allow each one to sit on just one eggmarked with an ‘X’ in pen.

■ When all the hens are ready to sit,place them somewhere where other

Noise is one type of pollution which affects our quality of life, though we are not always aware of it.

Sound is measured in decibels. Sounds above 85 decibels are considered dangerous to our ears. Here are some examples of sounds and their volume:

The difference between noise and sound is a very personal one. Sounds that people find annoyingbecome noises, regardless of volume. The siren of an ambulance could be defined as a noise by some people, but not by those waiting for emergency attention, for whom it is awelcome sound.

Noise creates tension, anxiety and discomfort. It may harm the ear, disrupt sleep, stimulate the nervous system, affect memory, cause accidents and can affect our ability to think clearly.

Noise spreads. Laws are not used to tackle noise in the city because nobody is officiallyresponsible for managing it. To bring in protective measures, we first have to start with anawareness campaign to encourage people to reduce noise, moderate their behaviour andunderstand that the street belongs to everyone.

Adapted from an article by Jorge Alberto Mastroizzi. Sent in by Adrian Gustavo Lapponi, Argentina

Reflections on noise

• Countryside 20 decibels

• Conversation 60 decibels

• Moving traffic 75 to 100 decibels

• Industry 90 decibels

• Motorbike 93 decibels

• Pain threshold 120 decibels

6

LETTERS

FO O T S T E P S 59

THE EDITORFOOTSTEPSPO BOX 200BRIDGNORTH

SHROPSHIRE

WV16 4WQUK

Making hatsI am presently looking for ways to usewaste materials like empty drink cans,paper cartons, rags and cloth piecesfrom tailors which litter our environ-ment. I am particularly interested inknowing about hat-making manuals orbooks which I can use to teach youngschool-leavers how to make attractivehats at low cost.

Amuche Ngwuc/o Dr EK NgwuDepartment of Home Science andNutritionUniversity of NigeriaNsukkaEnugu StateNigeria

Oil educationI come from Timberi, a small village insouthern Chad. In 2000 the govern-ment recognised southern Chad as anoil-rich region and signed manyagreements with different organis-ations and oil companies to exploit the‘black gold’. The majority of people inChad are not literate and cannotdemand their rights, so the organis-ation Epozop (People together in theoil-rich area) was created. It works toclaim fair compensation for our peoplebecause the oil pipeline passes throughmany villages, fields and clumps oftrees, which are necessary for theirsurvival. There are also risks to theenvironment, so Epozop is informingthe people of the dangers and advan-tages linked to oil.

Peurtoloum MbaidoumTimberiS/c Mme Geneviève PilletATNV, BP 35MoundouChad

PapayaI read about the use of papaya in pestcontrol in Footsteps 54. This remindedme of other uses. Papaya leaves can beused instead of soap to remove stainsfrom clothing. The milky juice or latexcan be used in tanning hides. Thechemical papain, which can beextracted commercially from the latex,has many uses.

hens cannot disturb them and wherethey cannot go outside. Provideplenty of food, fresh water and softbedding (grass, wood shavings, oldclothing).

■ Dispose of each egg marked with an‘X’ and replace with 10–15 fresh eggs(depending on the size of the hen).

■ After 21 days all the eggs shouldhatch out. Now you can leave thechicks with the mother hen andprovide additional food for them.Alternatively you can remove thechicks from the hens and raise themin a safe house, keeping them warmand providing chick feed. This meansthat the hens will quickly start to layagain, but you will have to givespecial care to the chicks.

I would be very happy to hear fromfarmers about how they use these ideas.

Emmanuel MabbaPO Box 343Funyula BusiaKenya

The Bible says a lot about how we relate to the Earth on which welive. This has implications for our attitude towards it and how wecare for it.

Read Genesis 1

The Earth and all that God has made is ‘very good’ (Genesis 1:31).

• How does this help us to see that spoiling the beauty of the Earth iswrong?

Read Psalm 24

• If we start to see the world as God’s and not ours, how might we treatit differently?

Read Genesis 1:26-28 and 2:15

• What do these verses say about our relationship with the rest ofcreation?

• How might we reflect God’s character by being creative in our care forthe world?

Read Exodus 23:10-11 and Deuteronomy 20:19-20 and 22:6

God has set limits to our use of the natural world. We should nolonger see it as something to pollute or waste.

It can be easy to fall into despair with all the problems of poll-ution and the lack of care for God’s creation.

Read Psalm 8, Psalm 104 and Psalm 145

Think about God’s goodness in creation, God’s faithfulness to hispeople and God’s provision for all needs.

• How do these things bring hope rather than despair?

Bob Carling is a freelance science editor working for a number of sciencepublishers. He also runs a branch of a new media company, using newways of communicating using computer and internet technology.

BIBLE STUDY

7FO O T S T E P S 59

LETTERS

However, I am worried about whatmight be the short-term or long-termhazards from using papaya.

Akaa IjirPO Box 491Makurdi 970001Benue StateNigeria

EDITOR’S NOTE

The ripe papaya fruit is an excellent source ofvitamins and minerals and can be safely enjoyedonce the skin is removed. There are no healthconcerns about its use. The chemical papain, foundin the leaves, seeds and particularly in the juice orlatex collected from the bark or from unripe fruit,has many uses, both commercially and medicinally.However, it must be used with care as fresh,concentrated latex can irritate the skin. Alwayswash hands carefully after extracting or using it.Only use medicinally in the quantities recom-mended in Footsteps 48. In larger quantities itcould cause skin problems, diarrhoea and severestomach upsets. Treat with the same care as withany medicinal compounds.

Marketing moringaMoringa is a ‘miracle tree’ that has beenpromoted in Uganda over the last fiveyears. The response of the populationthat is struggling to move out of povertyhas been overwhelming. Today,hundreds of farmers have more than twoacres of moringa, but little hope to gainmuch from it. Can readers of Footstepssuggest any possible markets for the treeproducts? If there is any organisation,company or government that hasexperience in handling and marketingmoringa, their advice will be gratefullyreceived.

Humphry MuhangiLiteracy and Adult Basic Education (LABE)PO Box 16176 KampalaUganda

E-mail: labe@africaonline.co.ug

Moringa leavesThank you for all the information overthe years in Footsteps which we havereceived from the first issue and used asa library resource.

We found moringa trees grew extremelywell in the very dry, sandy soil of NebbiDistrict, Uganda. We encouraged peopleto grow them and use the leaves as a

green vegetable. However, one day wefound we had a lot of extra leavesremaining after cooking with a group.We showed people how quickly theleaves dried and how easily they couldbe powdered, using the informationfrom Footsteps 46. Now it has become sopopular that powdered moringa leavesare being sold in the markets in WestNile!

Anne O’Connell can be contacted in theUK at:10 The PaddocksPresteigneWalesLD8 2NJ

Caring creatively for God’s world by Bob Carling

9FO O T S T E P S 598 FO O T S T E P S 59

RECYCLING

Based on information from Sally Grantham-McGregor and Isabel Carter.

Creative ways ofreusing materialsWe often throw things away when they are no longer useful.However, there may be other purposes we could use them for. Thesepages contain some suggestions for using everyday items to maketoys or household items. The materials should be cleaned thoroughlybefore they are used again.

Rattle Cut long strips fromcoloured plastic bottles.Put them inside a smallclear plastic bottle andglue the lid on.

Stacking bottle tops Cut at least three identical roundplastic bottles in half for youngchildren to make into towers. Makesure the edges are smoothand that lids are removed.

Puzzle Draw or glue a picture on a piece ofcardboard. Cut the picture into pieces.The older the child, the more piecesthe picture can be cut into, to make thepuzzle more difficult.

Plastic bag mats When plastic bags can nolonger be used as bagsbecause of holes, they can beknotted or woven into mats. Ifcoloured plastic bags are used,patterned mats can be made.

Plastic bottlepackagingUse the bottoms of two bottles, oneto make the container and the otherto make the lid. Make four verticalcuts around the lid and make theminto petal shapes. Smooth down therough edges and put the lid on.

Newspaper bagsFold pieces of newspaper andglue or tape them along thesides. Use a few sheets together for extra strength.

Soda bottle top curtain Use a hammer to bend soda bottle topsin half. Thread these onto some longlengths of strong string. Attach them to alength of wood and hang the curtain.Beads and other materials can also bethreaded onto the string between thebottle tops.

DoormatCaution! Ensure thereare no sharpwires stickingout from theedges.

PlantcontainerLay some plasticbags under the tyreto prevent waterdraining away.

Swing Tie a strong piece ofrope around a tyreand hang it from atree. Make a hole inthe bottom of the tyreso that rainwaterdoes not collect in it.Ensure that the knotsare secure.

Household items

Uses for tyres

Making toysDoll Cut out two doll shapes from a piece ofcloth and sew the edges together, leaving asmall opening. Turn the doll inside out andstuff with scraps of material. Sew up theopening and sew or draw aface on the doll.

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Household wastemanagementin Dhaka, Bangladesh

by Iftekhar Enayetullah

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■ Community mobilisation is a long-term,time-consuming process. It is importantto raise public awareness about theprogramme in order for communities to join.

■ Efforts should be made to develop newtechniques, such as enriching thecompost to cater for the needs ofcompanies who buy the compost.

■ Marketing of the compost was animportant feature of this programme. The programme is only financiallypossible if a market exists. A lot of timeand effort was invested in developingrelationships with private companies tomarket the product.

■ The programme required partnershipswith the public sector, private sector andcivil society organisations.

Learning points

Collecting the waste.

In Dhaka, scavengers known as tokaisearch for materials which can be reusedor recycled. They sell them to enter-prising local people who arrange for thematerials to be sorted, cleaned and thensold to recycling factories. This informalsystem shows that waste has value.

Community-basedcomposting projectAn organisation called Waste Concernstarted a community-based compostingproject in 1995 to promote the concept ofthe ‘4 Rs’ – reduce, reuse, recycle andrecover waste – in urban areas. It isbased on the idea that the organiccontent of Dhaka’s household waste,which accounts for more than 70% oftotal waste, can be efficiently convertedinto valuable compost. This reduces

Over six million people live in Dhaka and each day they produceover 3,000 tons of household waste. Yet the Dhaka City Corporationcollects less than half of it. The rest remains on roadsides, in opendrains and in low-lying areas. This has a negative impact on thecity’s environment. It is estimated that the population of Dhaka willbe 19.5 million by 2015. It will become very difficult to find sites tobury the waste as the city expands, and transport costs to transferthe waste will increase. The volume of waste needs to be reduced toa sustainable level.

disposal costs and prolongs the lifetimeof landfill sites. It also reduces theharmful environmental impact of landfillsites, because organic waste is respon-sible for groundwater contamination andmethane gas emissions. By turning theorganic waste into compost, the soil inurban areas can be improved.

The project involved setting up anumber of small-scale enterprises indifferent neighbourhoods. Activitiesinclude house-to-house waste collection,composting of the collected waste andmarketing of the compost and recyclablematerials. The project was so successfulthat in 1998 the government selectedWaste Concern to extend the project tofive other communities of Dhaka,supported by the United NationsDevelopment Programme.

Waste Concern asked governmentagencies to provide land, water andelectrical connections to establish thecommunity-based composting plants. Italso built up relationships with privatecompanies to market the compost andrecyclable materials. Waste Concern setsup community waste managementcommittees and provides technicalassistance and training to help themmanage, operate and maintain theservices. Members of the committees aremostly women. They are trained incollection, waste separation, compostingand marketing. After a year of com-munity mobilisation and training, WasteConcern hands over the project to thecommunity but continues to monitor itfor three years.

sawdust

cow dung

water

water

SELLING

MARKETING

SOLD TO LOCAL MARKET

TRANSPORTED TO DUMPSITE

SORTING

RECYCLABLES

REJECTS

ORGANIC WASTE

piling

maturing ofcompost

composting

bagginggrading

COLLECTION

One plant produces 500–600kg ofcompost each day by processing 2–3 tonsof household waste. This involves sixworkers, mostly women.

MarketingThere is a good market for compost inBangladesh. Waste Concern helps thecommunities sell their compost to anumber of businesses, such as fertilisercompanies and plant nurseries. Each50kg bag of compost sells for US $2.50–$4.50. Waste Concern have been asked toinstall more community-based compostplants to meet the growing demand forenriched compost.

This programme has significantlycleaned up communities, created jobs forpoor people, reduced the Dhaka CityCorporation’s waste management costs,and created business opportunities.Composting all organic waste in Dhakawould create new jobs for about 16,000poor people, especially women. It hasbecome a model which several citygovernments and NGOs are now tryingto copy.

Iftekhar Enayetullah is the co-founder anddirector of Waste Concern.

E-mail: office@wasteconcern.orgWebsite: www.wasteconcern.org

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WASTE MANAGEMENT

Waste collectionRickshaw vans are modified to collectwaste from each house. Each van has apart-time driver and one or two wastecollectors, and serves 300–400 house-holds. Households pay on average 20–35cents per month to have their wastecollected. This covers the salary of thevan drivers and waste collectors as wellas operation and maintenance costs.Households report that the house-to-house waste collection service isconvenient. Some said that previouslythey could not rent out their houses dueto the large, overflowing waste bins infront of them. After a few months thecommunities got rid of all the bins.

Composting processOnce the waste has been collected, it istaken to a nearby composting plant.Organic waste is converted into compostusing a method that does not producebad smells. This is important because thecomposting plants are located nearhomes rather than industrial areas. Thewaste is sorted into organic waste,recyclable materials and rejects. Therejects are collected by the Dhaka CityCorporation and taken to the landfill.

The organic waste is piled around abamboo rack to allow a good circulationof air which speeds up the breakdown ofthe waste. Sawdust is mixed with thewaste to increase the air content. The pileis turned frequently in order to maintainthe temperature and to ensure equal

decomposition throughout the pile.Water is used to speed up decom-position. Chicken and cattle manure areadded to increase the nitrogen in thecompost.

This process takes 40 days. The pile isthen left to mature without turning orwatering for 15 days. The compost isthen separated into fine and coarsegrades and packed into 50kg bags to sell.Large lumps are recomposted.

Turning the waste in the composting plant.

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The household waste management process

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FO O T S T E P S 59

In Kenya, the Intermediate TechnologyDevelopment Group (ITDG) carried outthe Smoke and Health project, whichworked together with 50 rural house-holds in two communities to reduce airpollution in their homes.

Field staff informed women’s groups of the project and what it hoped toachieve. There was no shortage of peoplewanting to take part in the project.

Reducing indoor air pollutionPARTICIPATORY APPROACHES IN KENYA

by Elizabeth Bates, Nigel Bruce, Alison Doig and Stephen Gitonga

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The smoke pollution levels in kitchenswere measured. In some kitchens, thelevel of particles in the air that causedamage to the lungs was 100 timesgreater than acceptable levels.

Focus group meetingsParticipants identified the followingproblems associated with indoorpollution:

■ painful, watering eyes

■ chest infections

■ ear infections

■ breathlessness, chest pains anddifficulty in breathing

■ frequent headaches

■ stained clothes.

The participants listed some benefits ofsmoke, such as drying firewood,repelling insects and preserving cereals.

The focus groups identified three keyways that the situation could beimproved:

■ improve air flow by increasing thesize of windows or opening the eavesspaces (the gap between the roof andthe walls)

■ add smoke hoods over the cookingarea

■ install improved stoves.

In one community, husbands wereinvolved in these discussions. This wasimportant because they are usuallyresponsible for house building.

InterventionsGroup discussions and individual housevisits were used to identify positions forwindows, eaves spaces and smokehoods. Models of hoods were made withpaper and checked by local builders who

Woman using a fuel-efficient stove in Kisumi.

Baseline assessmentA baseline assessment was first carriedout so that the impact of the projectcould be measured. A questionnaire wasused by field workers with each house-hold. It recorded information such as thesize of the household, means of cookingand lighting, plan and structure of thehouse, time and activity spent in thekitchen, and health of the household.

Around 80% of people in rural sub-Saharan Africa depend onfuels such as wood, dung and crop residues for their domesticenergy. Smoke from burning these fuels inside homes can leadto an increase in serious health problems such as pneumoniaand lung disease. This particularly affects women and youngchildren who spend large amounts of time in the kitchen.

Woman cooking using a smoke hood.

Improved health• better sleep due to reduced heat

• fewer headaches, coughs and chest pains

• reduction in aching eyes, tears and running nose

• improved safety because smoke hoods stop children and goats falling onto the fire

• snakes and rodents find it more difficult to hide in houses with windows

• food free from soot contamination

Reduced work• less soot on walls, ceiling, hair, sheets, children’s books and clothes

• easier to wash the children and do housework

• able to watch calves through the windows

Reduced expenditure• daylight through windows reduces kerosene use

for lighting

• food stays longer without spoiling

Improved environment• improved lighting

• smell removal due to fresh air circulation

Increased opportunity for income-generation• windows enable people to sew and do beadwork

inside when the weather is bad

• reduction in time lost due to ill health

• improved children’s grades at school becausewindows enable them to work indoors when theweather is bad

Empowerment• women felt more confident through sharing knowledge with their neighbours

• they were more confident welcoming people into their homes

Benefits of smoke reduction

were either experienced in localmanufacturing techniques or had beentrained as part of the project.

Once these improvements were in place,households were trained to use andmaintain them well. This was donemainly through women’s groups. Forexample, the importance of openingwindows in order for them to beeffective was stressed.

OutcomesIncreasing the size of the eaves spacessuccessfully reduced smoke in onecommunity. However, due to thedifferent house design in the othercommunity, eaves spaces could not beused.

The use of windows was less effective inreducing smoke levels in the home, butopening the window improves the way

Refa’s husband used tosuffer from asthmaattacks and so neverwent into the kitchen.After the project, he iswilling to help Refa withdomestic jobs. He now wakes up at 5.30amand puts his bathing water on the fire. Whenhe goes to bathe he leaves the tea on thefire. Refa does not have to wake up as earlyas she used to or do all the householdchores by herself.

Improved health

13FO O T S T E P S 59

HEALTH

fires burn. Windows have had otherbenefits which have improved thequality of life.

Households that used improved stovesexperienced little improvement inpollution levels, but they have benefitedfrom reduced fuel use, shorter cookingtime, increased safety and ease of use.

Community members said that, as aresult of the improvements, thereduction of smoke was much higherthan they had expected. It was foundthat the introduction of hoods reducedthe number of dangerous particles in theair by 75%.

Some problems were found. Theseinclude:

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS For example,windows made kitchens cold anddraughty and wick lamps were blown

Traditional Maasai house, but withchimney and window to reduce smokein the house.

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out on very windy days. Cats and dustcame in through the window. Meshcould be used to prevent cats.

SOCIAL FACTORS Some people wereworried that thugs and thieves could seeinto their houses. Shutters were helpful.Chimney hoods made it more difficult tolean over the pot to cook.

ECONOMIC ISSUES The cost of smoke hoodsis higher than most households canafford. They can be made more afford-able by using scrap metal instead of newmetal, and making some parts of thehood from clay and other materials.

The project has had a positive impact onthe lives of local builders who have beentrained by the project. They benefit fromorders for smoke hoods. Neighbours ofthe women involved in the project feelthat a bigger group needs to be targetedto meet the demands of the community.

ITDG is now working on similar projectswith communities in urban Kenya, in ahigh cold region in Nepal and withdisplaced people in Sudan.

Elizabeth Bates and Alison Doig both workfor ITDG UK, Stephen Gitonga works forITDG Kenya, and Nigel Bruce works in theDepartment of Public Health at theUniversity of Liverpool, UK.

For further details about the project:E-mail: lizb@itdg.org.uk

ITDG, Bourton Hall, Bourton-on-Dunsmore, RugbyCV23 9QZUK

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FO O T S T E P S 59

Plastic bags are easily carried by thewind. They hang in bushes, float onrivers, flap from fences, clog drains,choke animals and affect the way thelandscape looks. Few plastic bags arerecycled and most types of plastic bagstake hundreds of years to decay. InSouth Africa, plastic bags are so

■ What problems are caused by plasticbags in our country?

■ What actions could be taken to reducethe number of plastic bags produced andused?

■ What would be the negative effects ofsuch actions?

■ Which type of action would be mostuseful and have the fewest drawbacks?

■ How can we challenge our government totake action to reduce the use of plasticbags?

Based on information from the BBC and UKGuardian newspaper websites, and RaviAgarwal of Toxics Link, Indiawww.toxicslink.org

Discussion questions

IndiaACTION TAKEN Production, storage, use, sale anddistribution of polythene bags banned in states suchas Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Kerala and Maharashtra.

PENALTY In Himachal Pradesh, up to seven yearsin prison or US $2,000 fine for anyone using apolythene bag.

OUTCOME Limited impact because the ban is notwell enforced.

TaiwanACTION TAKEN Free provision of plasticbags by shops banned.

PENALTY Up to US $8,600 fine for shops.

OUTCOMES■ Plastics workers protested. The

government agreed to help them findother jobs.

■ The law does not yet apply to markettraders and street vendors.

BangladeshACTION TAKEN Polythene bags banned.

PENALTY 10 years’ imprisonment or aUS $17,000 fine for anyone making polythenebags and a US $9 fine for anyone found usingone.

OUTCOME Jute bags are now used morewidely. This has encouraged the jute industry.

South AfricaACTION TAKEN Use of thin plastic bagsbanned.

PENALTY Up to ten years in prison orUS $13,800 fine for shops using thin bags.

OUTCOMES■ Shop customers now pay for thicker bags,

which are reused and easier to recycle.■ Reduced litter. However, there is concern that

as only thin plastic bags have been banned,there will still be litter from thicker bags.

■ Many factories have closed down becausethey cannot make the thicker bags, resultingin a loss of jobs.

■ People who make things from plastic bagsnow have to buy the bags and thereforemake less profit.

Photo: Isabel Carter

common they are called the ‘nationalflower’. In India, around 100 cows dieeach day from eating plastic bags thatlitter the streets.

Efforts have recently been made in somecountries to reduce the use of plasticbags.

Action againstplastic bags

IrelandACTION TAKEN Shop customers must pay a taxof 15 cents per plastic bag.

OUTCOMES■ Estimated 90% reduction in use of plastic bags.■ Customers buy tough, reusable shopping bags

or use free paper bags provided by shops.■ Money raised from tax is used for environ-

mental projects.

15FO O T S T E P S 59

RESOURCES

BooksNewslettersTraining materials

Fundraising by Rachel Blackman

This is book six in the ROOTS series,produced by Tearfund. Fundraising isoften done in a disorganised way, ratherthan in a planned, forward-looking andstrategic way. This book shows how todevelop a fundraising strategy andcontains ideas to help organisationsdiversify their funding base. The bookcosts £10 (US $18, €14.50), includingpostage, and is available from:

Tearfund Resources DevelopmentPO Box 200BridgnorthWV16 4WQUK

E-mail:roots@tearfund.org

EcovoxEcovox is a magazine which containsarticles and interviews on many aspectsof the environment, relating particularlyto Africa. It is published in French, threetimes a year, by Christian organisationCIPCRE in Cameroon and Benin. To findout about subscription costs, write to:

BP 1256, Bafoussam, Cameroon

… or to

BP 287, Porto-Novo, Benin

Tel: (237) 344 66 68E-mail: ecovox@wagne.net

Articles from back issues can be read ontheir website: www.wagne.net/ecovox

Environments and Livelihoods by Koos Neefies

Is poverty to blame for the globalenvironmental crisis or is environmentaldegradation a major cause of poverty?This question is at the heart of this book.It reflects on the relationships between

poverty and environmental change,discussing practical tools and approachesto project management. The book isintended to be used to support thecampaigning and lobbying work of local and international developmentorganisations, to improve the implement-ation of development strategies, and tostrengthen participatory projectplanning, monitoring and impactassessment.

The book costs £12.50 and can be boughtfrom local distributors who are able toaccept payment in local currency. Contactdetails for local distributors can beviewed on the Oxfam websitewww.oxfam.org.uk,

or write to:

Oxfam Publishing274 Banbury RoadOxford OX2 7DZUK

E-mail: publish@oxfam.org.uk

Advocacy Guide to Private SectorInvolvement in Water ServicesThis guide has been written for comm-unity and civil society organisations andbuilds on the results of a two-yearresearch project undertaken by Tearfundand WaterAid. The guide aims to helpreaders encourage governments to makewater utility reform processes morepoverty-focused.

The guide can be downloaded as a pdffile from: www.tilz.info/psp-water-guide

… or ordered from:

Public Policy Team AdministratorTearfund100 Church Road, TeddingtonTW11 8QEUK

E-mail: ppadministrator@tearfund.org

Living PositivelyA community-based approach tocombat HIV/AIDS

This pack has been produced by theMothers’ Union for use by experiencedfacilitators who work with groups. Theaim of the pack is to raise awareness ofHIV/AIDS and to help a group shareideas and suggestions and to plan actionto address HIV/AIDS issues. The packcontains a number of booklets whichlook at:

• HIV/AIDS issues

• faith and HIV/AIDS

• personal stories

• raising awareness and campaigning

• participatory exercises

• pictures and role plays

• praying.

Copies are availablefree of charge from:

Mothers’ UnionMary Sumner House24 Tufton StreetLondonSW1P 3RBUK

E-mail:mu@themothersunion.orgWebsite: www.themothersunion.org

Smoke – the Silent KillerIndoor air pollution in developingcountries

by Hugh Warwick and Alison Doig

The pollution from the burning oftraditional fuels for cooking and heatingis linked to the deaths of over 1.6 millionpeople each year. Despite this, very fewpeople are aware of the risks of indoorair pollution. It is the silent killer. Thisbook looks at the health impacts ofsmoke and presents technical solutionsand strategies for reducing exposure tosmoke in the home.

It costs £7.95 and is available from:

ITDG Publishing103–105 Southampton RowLondonWC1B 4HLUK

E-mail: orders@itpubs.org.ukWebsite: www.itdgpublishing.org.uk

16 FO O T S T E P S 59

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Published by: Tearfund, 100 Church Road,Teddington, TW11 8QE, UK

Editor: Dr Isabel Carter, PO Box 200, Bridgnorth,Shropshire, WV16 4WQ, UK

Tearfund staff spend considerable time dealingwith many thousands of funding requests that weare unable to support. This is taking them awayfrom their work of bringing good news to the poorthrough current partnerships. Please note that allfunding proposals will be rejected unless they arefrom current Tearfund partners.

Household rubbish should be sortedbefore it is considered for the rubbish pit.Organic materials, such as vegetablepeelings, should be used to makecompost. Other types of householdrubbish could be reused or recycled.Avoid putting batteries and other toxicwaste in a rubbish pit as these willcontaminate the soil and water sources.

An average rubbish pit should be thesize of two or three doors. This size ofrubbish pit will last for about five yearsfor an average family. For large house-holds, the rubbish pit could be bigger.

Selecting a siteThe following factors should beconsidered:

Distance The rubbish pit should be farenough from wells and streams toprotect water sources from contamin-ation. More than 30m is recommended. Itshould be far enough from houses tostop people falling in, but not so far thatwaste has to be carried a long way.Between 20m and 100m isrecommended.

Geography The rubbish pit should not belocated on valuable land, such as cropland. If the pit is dug on wet ground itmay smell bad.

Groundwater The bottom of the pit must be at least 1m above the level ofgroundwater during the rainy season. Ifnecessary, dig a test hole 1m deeper thanthe bottom of the proposed pit just afterthe rainy season. If no groundwater isobserved in the hole, the site is suitable.

Cover soil The pit should be located nearground which can be easily dug. Keepthe soil that has been removed forcovering the rubbish.

Digging the rubbish pitThe rubbish pit should be between 1mand 1.5m deep. It is a good idea to digonly about 1m of the desired length ofthe pit to start with. Otherwise the restmay fill with soil due to wind and watererosion.

A rubbish pit is a way of disposing of household waste by burying it,after it has been reduced or recycled as much as possible. This helpsprevent contamination of water supplies and breeding of flies and ratswhich may spread disease to people in the community. A rubbish pitreduces unpleasant smells and removes household waste from sight.

Using the rubbish pitWhen rubbish is placed in the pit, coverit with a thin layer of soil. Do not leaveexposed waste in the pit. Compact it andcover immediately.

When the waste and cover soil havenearly risen to the ground surface, placea final thick layer of soil or compostedmaterial. Then dig a new pit.

Based on USAID (1982) Water for theWorld technical notes: www.lifewater.org

CAUTION!Care must be taken when handling waste toprevent cuts from sharp-edged scraps.

Cleanliness is important to prevent thespread of disease. People should wash theirhands after handling household waste,especially before preparing and eating food.

Household rubbish pits

20–100m

30m