In a pioneering effort, the municipality of Tamghas, Gulmi, is now selling its collected waste. The Municipal Development and Clean Environment Committee has partnered with the Palpa Nepalese Waste Bank to monetize non-biodegradable waste, including plastics, metals, and glass. According to a recent report, the initiative is already generating income and contributing to a cleaner environment.
The waste collection program covers 1,765 households in several wards of Resunga municipality. The Committee, excluding Saturdays, gathers waste and transports it to the Okhreni landfill site. The collected waste is then separated into biodegradable and non-biodegradable components, averaging about two tonnes daily. The sale of recyclables to the waste bank has begun.
The Palpa Nepalese Waste Bank employs human resources to segregate the collected waste, compensating them based on the quantity processed. The pricing structure set by the agreement is as follows: plastic bottles at Rs 10 per kg, Red Bull cans at Rs 80 per kg, HDP plastic at Rs 8 per kg, mineral water bottles at 10 rupees per kg, iron at Rs 15 per kg, and glass at Rs 1 per kg.
Committee Chairperson Ram Prasad Panthi stated that the Committee has already earned Rs 20,000 from selling four truckloads of waste in one month. The previous practice of burning waste at Okhreni has now been replaced with this sustainable solution, leading to cleaner water sources, according to the report.
For the Nepali diaspora, this initiative is highly significant. It signals a shift towards eco-conscious practices within Nepal, where waste management has historically posed a challenge. The successful implementation in Tamghas could serve as a model for other municipalities, improving local conditions.
Diaspora members who visit Nepal regularly, as well as those planning to invest back home, should take note. This project demonstrates how municipalities can generate income while improving environmental cleanliness. Seeing such efforts allows them to see the changes taking place and potentially support similar initiatives across the country.
