Nepal is grappling with a growing plastic waste crisis that’s hard to ignore. Did you know that 16% of the nation’s urban garbage is composed of plastic? That means around 2.7 tons of plastic waste every day, an astounding 4.7 to 4.8 million plastic bags are used every day in the capital Kathmandu alone.
In a significant step towards addressing the problem, a high-level roundtable discussion titled ‘Plastic Waste Management Challenges & Solutions in Nepal’ was recently held on May 8th, 2024 in Kathmandu. Organised by the Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia (PLEASE) Project, the event brought together diverse key players from the government, development agencies, private sector, civil society, and academia.
The goal was to share information, foster dialogue, and explore collaborative solutions to mitigate plastic waste in Nepal. This is the second in a series of country level roundtables organised by the PLEASE Project, following a similar event in Sri Lanka in mid-March on “Navigating the Waves: Strategies, Challenges, and Collaborative Solutions in Mitigating Plastic Pollution in Sri Lanka”
Further such discussions are to be held in Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, and the Maldives, in the coming months. The key themes covered during each event include policy and regulatory matters related to plastic waste management, initiatives pursued by bilateral and multilateral development partners, and showcasing work by corporate and civil society entities.
The process will culminate with a South Asian Regional Roundtable on plastic waste management in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in the last quarter of 2024.
Opening the Nepal Roundtable Discussion, Ms. Rokeya Khaton, Director General of the South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP), emphasised the significant environmental, economic, and public health impacts of plastic pollution. She highlighted the role of national roundtable discussions in catalysing change through synergies among stakeholders from both the public and private sectors.
The discovery of microplastics on Mount Everest and the impact of microplastics on wildlife in Chitwan National Park are proof of the urgent need for effective waste management, as was mentioned by Mr. Joseph Ese Akpokodje, Senior Environment Specialist and Task Team Leader of the PLEASE Project at the World Bank. He stressed the roundtable’s aim to foster ongoing discussions on plastic waste management, promote knowledge sharing, and create synergies to avoid duplication of efforts.
Bringing into attention Nepal’s adoption of the Green Resilient and Inclusive Development (GRID) platform, supported by 16 Development Partners including the World Bank, he emphasised the importance of cohesive policies across South Asia despite current capacity and systemic challenges.
Mr Komal Karki, Country Manager of UNOPS Nepal, highlighted UNOPS’ commitment to tackling environmental issues in Nepal through collaboration with the government and other partners. He also mentioned his organisation’s role as an implementing support partner for the PLEASE Project and their previous support for a National Solid Waste Management workshop in 2023, organised by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration and the Ministry of Urban Development to incorporate an impactful stakeholder engagement which focused on integrating circular economy principles into the Solid Waste Management Act.
Kapila Mahesh Rajapaksha, Environment & Social Development Specialist for the PLEASE Project, emphasised the severity of plastic pollution, which worsens climate change impacts, threatens ecosystems, and endangers livelihoods. He highlighted the project’s l initiatives to combat these effects through a Circular Plastic Economy approach, fostering cross-border collaboration and a gender-inclusive strategy.
Among the speakers of this Roundtable event were Mr Deepak Gyawali, Under Secretary, Department of Environment, Ms Laxmi Devi Pandey, Chairperson of the National Association of Rural Municipalities, Mr Mitra Ghimire, General Secretary of the Solid Waste Management Association of Nepal and Mr Padma Kumar Mainali, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development.
Deepak Gyawali highlighted Nepal’s efforts to address plastic pollution through policy measures, such as the Environment Act, environment-related regulations, and banning the production, importation, sale, and use of certain plastic products. Laxmi Devi Pandey focused on the challenges faced by local government bodies in managing plastic waste, including the lack of proper dumping sites, segregation facilities, and public awareness.
Representatives from development partners, such as the UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme, Global IME Bank, Khalisisi, and the National Association of Rural Municipalities in Nepal (NARMIN) also shared their initiatives in supporting green economy financing.
The speakers and other participants also emphasised the integration of informal waste workers into formal systems and advocated for locally adapted, decentralised waste management solutions and inclusive policies to support both high-grade and low-grade plastic recycling.
During the third session, recipients of the Regional Block Grants of the PLEASE Project, BIOCOMP Nepal and CREASION presented their work, stressing the need for government policy, financial support, public engagement, and private investment to develop national standards for recycled plastic products.
Dr. Nawaraj Khatiwada, President of the Nepal Development Research Institute, highlighted the importance of involving all government entities and using behavioural science to achieve zero plastic waste. He also called for policy changes and academic investments in plastic waste research.
Participants also discussed transforming plastic waste management in Nepal by adopting the 7Rs and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and addressed challenges, including limited financing, public spaces, and sometimes conflicting policies.
The event stressed the importance of working together to tackle key problems like microplastic pollution, waste sorting, and including informal waste workers. It also highlighted the need for a Circular Plastic Economy and international cooperation. Collaboration with the national government, bilateral partners, development agencies, and investors is essential for success.
As the PLEASE Project continues to organise similar discussions across South Asia, there is hope for creating strong, lasting plans to fight plastic waste, enhance environmental resilience, and promote public health across the region.
Read the official report on the High-Level Roundtable Discussion on Plastic Waste Management Challenges and Solutions in Nepal
