Nepal has a long tradition of managing household waste individually or through a community-based approach. Since more than 70% of solid waste generated in the country is of organic origin, composting at the household level has proven to be an effective biowaste treatment strategy, benefitting not only households, but also the environment and the economy.
Main benefits of biowaste recycling include:
Recognising the benefits of home composting, particularly during Nepal’s national lockdown (a period during which waste production was reported to be higher), the SWITCH-Asia PARYA SAMPADA project has supported the organisation and delivery of a training on Solid Waste Management for the Tafa cluster in Bungamati. 21 participants, 19 of which were women, joined the training and learned several skills, including waste segregation, carbon nitrogen ratio management in waste, water content, and turning frequency.
Ms. Bindra Kumari Tuladhar, Vice Chairperson of the Bungamati Solid Waste Management Committee is also one of Bungamati’s Composting Champions. With the Bin Composting skills learned during this training, she has created a beautiful rooftop garden full of flowers, fresh vegetables and spices. Bindra realised that 60% of her household waste is organic. By adding some dry leaves, rice husks or saw dusts into the bin, she found just the right balance of nutrients for better composting. “While I compost almost all my household’s organic waste, the ultimate goal is to achieve zero organic waste from my kitchen”, she explained.
Supported by the Lumanti Group and Ward Office, the Bungamati Solid Waste Management Committee is planning a comprehensive waste management strategy for Bungamati. Since most of the inhabitants of the Newari settlement are farmers’ descendants, composting is still a big part of their daily lives. Ms. Bindra strongly believes that if everybody works on minimizing and responsibly managing their waste, then a “Clean, Green and Healthy Bungamati” can become a reality.
Why not start your own compost?
It’s easy, here are a few tips from SWITCH-Asia PARYA SAMPADA
