1WHO/SEARO Technical Notes for Emergencies Technical Note No. 7

Solid waste managementin emergencies

WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia

This technical note outlines some of the key activitiesin dealing with solid waste in the immediate aftermathof a disaster. Solid waste refers here to all non-liquidwastes (e.g. rubbish or garbage). Sometimes solidwaste may contain faeces. Solid waste can createsignificant health problems and a very unpleasantliving environment if not disposed of safely andappropriately. It can provide breeding sites for insectsand vermin (e.g. rats) which increase the likelihood ofdisease transmission, and can attract snakes andother pests. Unmanaged waste can also pollute watersources and the environment.

The process of planning solid waste management inan emergency is illustrated in Figure 1.

Initial assessmentThe first stage in dealing with solid waste is tounderstand the emergency context and the nature ofwaste being generated. The following sections outlinekey questions for consideration.

The contextWhat solid waste management systems/equipment is already in place? How has it beenaffected? Is it possible to work with and learnfrom the existing systems?

How many people are affected? Where are they?What are they doing with waste at present?Are there any pertinent cultural factors?

What opportunities or restrictions does theenvironment present? Is it possible to dig pits?Where are surface water sources located? Atwhat level does the water table like? Where island available?

The wasteWhat waste is being generated (e.g. organic,hazardous, dry etc.)?

Where is waste being generated? Howaccessible are waste generators?

How much waste is being generated?

Note: Medical and hazardous wastes are notdiscussed in this technical note.

Figure 1. The process of planningsolid waste management in an emergency

Long term solutions(Not covered in this technical note).

Intermediate response (6 months)

Developing collection and disposalsystem and building landfill pits

away from settlements.Consulting and educating users.

Immediate response (1 month)

Clearing scattered waste andintroducing onsite and community pits.

Initial assessment

Understanding the contextand waste generation.

Waste generation, density and sourcesWaste is produced by households, shops, markets,businesses, medical centres and distributionpoints.

Generation rates vary considerably according toseasons, diets (e.g. changes from fresh vegetableto packaged aid goods) and even the day of theweek. An average of around 0.5kg/ capita/ day iscommon in low-income cities.

Waste densities also vary considerably.Densities for low-income cities are usually around200-400 kg/m3.

Where lots of packaging is used in emergencysituations, densities are likely to decrease.

2 WHO/SEARO Technical Notes for EmergenciesTechnical Note No. 7

Solid waste management in emergencies

Immediate responseActivities should be prioritised according to presentand future health hazards of different waste typesand sources. Activities are likely to focus on clearingof existing scattered waste and managing wastefrom households and markets.

On-site household disposalSuitable where space is not too limited and wherewaste has a high organic content (as it willdecompose and reduce in volume). Also useful inareas where access is difficult.

Pits should be 1m deep and be frequently coveredwith ash/soil to prevent access to waste by insectsand rats, and to reduce odours.

Note that on-site disposal is labour-intensive andrequires advanced household cooperation.

Intermediate solutions

Community issuesConsultation. It is useful and important to consultpotential users of a waste management systembefore and during design and implementation.

Education. It is important for participatingcommunities to understand how good solid wastemanagement can be achieved and can benefit theirhealth.

Community pitsMust be located within 100m walking distance of anyhousehold (SPHERE Guidelines).

As a rough guide guide, 50 people will fill 1m3 of a piteach month, depending on generation rates anddensity.

These are rapid to implement and requires littleoperation and maintenance. Note that some peoplemay object to walking 100m to deposit waste.

Collection and storageIn some situations on-site, community pits may be asuitable medium-term solution, whilst in others it willbe necessary to devise ways of removing anddisposing of waste. This will usually involve thefollowing:

storage in the house;

deposition at intermediate storage point; and

collection and transport to final disposal.

In the home, plastic bags or a small container with alid make suitable storage containers.

For intermediate storage points in communal areasbins of maximum 100 litre capacity are required(when full this will weigh around 40kg). Oil drums cutin half can be suitable. Ideally the bin will be arrangedso that it can be emptied easily (e.g. hinged so it cantip into a handcart). A 100 litre bin is required for each50 people or for a few market stalls. Bins require dailyemptying, and this is labour-intensive.

3WHO/SEARO Technical Notes for Emergencies Technical Note No. 7

Solid waste management in emergencies

TransportWhen selecting suitable vehicles, waste generationrates and densities need to be considered alongwith:

areas they need to access (e.g. narrow alleys oruneven paths); and

distance between collection and disposal points.

For example, a wheelbarrow could collect waste fromapproximately 50 individuals before requiringemptying.

4 WHO/SEARO Technical Notes for EmergenciesTechnical Note No. 7

World Health OrganizationRegional Office for South-East AsiaMahatma Gandhi MargNew Delhi, 110002,India

This information has been prepared by WEDCAuthor: J. R. Rouse Series Editor: R. A. Reed Design: G. McMahon Illustrations: R. J. Shaw Graphics:Graphics:Graphics:Graphics:Graphics: Ken ChattertonWater, Engineering and Development Centre, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, UK.Phone: +44 1509 222885 Fax: +44 1509 211079 E-mail: WEDC@lboro.ac.uk www.lboro.ac.uk/wedc

Phone: (+91-11) 2337-0804Fax: (+91-11) 2337-8438E-mail: wsh@whosea.org

http://www.whosea.org

Recycling and compostingIn time it may be possible to work with local recyclingindustries to encourage entrepreneurs or wastecollectors to gather recyclable items. This canprovide a source of income as well as reducing theamount of waste requiring disposal. Homecomposting can also be an effective means by whichto reduce the volume of waste requiring collectionand disposal.

Management and implementationIt is important to consider management structuresand implementation methods. At times in emergencysituations, particularly early on, activities may have tobe strongly enforced until more participating systemscan be introduced.

Continuously review, monitor and response to thenature of waste, pervading conditions and levels ofcommunity participation.

Long-term waste managementIn the long-term, capacity of landfill sites need to beincreased, leachate needs to be contained andtreated and the overall sustainability of wastemanagement practices must be considered. Long-term solutions are beyond the scope of this technicalnote.

ResourcesHarvey, P., Baghri, S and Reed, R. A.

Emergency Sanitation. Assessment andProgramme Design. WEDC, UK

SPHERE Guidelines, The Sphere Project (2004)Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards inDisaster Response,The Sphere Project: Geneva,Switzerland (Distributed worldwide by OxfamGB) ISBN 92-9139-097-6

http://www.sphereproject.org/handbook/index.htm

Solid waste management in emergencies

Other important factors

IncinerationIncineration is not usually a favourable option forsolid waste management as it requires a large capitalinput and care for operation and management toensure non-polluting bone. Where burning is deemednecessary (e.g. to reduce waste volume), it must bedone at least 1km downwind of settlements, andashes should be covered with soil daily. On-siteburning of household waste can be highly-pollutingand can be a fire hazard.

Care of equipmentWaste can often be corrosive, so it is important topaint all metal waste management equipment and towash it frequently. Such activity can significantlyincreased the life of equipment.

Emergency response wastePackaging of emergency response provisions (e.g.food, water, medicine, shelter) can produce seriouswaste problems. Consider this in procurement andwhere possible manage packaging waste at point ofdistribution to prevent its widespread scattering.

DisposalAs a medium-term solution, larger-scale landfill pitscan be constructed. Without leachate (liquid runoff)treatment these are not suitable for long-term use.They should be situated at least1km downwind ofsettlements, at a location selected in consultationwith the population. They should also be situateddownhill of water sources and at least 50m fromsurface water sources. Carefully consider drainagewhere the pit is on sloping ground and erect fencesto keep animals and scavengers out.

StaffApproximately 2.5 workers are required for 1000community members (WHO/ UNEP 1991). Protectiveclothing and equipment need to be considered (e.g.gloves, boots, visibility jackets).