A major drive to tackle the country's growing solid waste disposal
problem is gathering pace.
The Ministry of Construction and the Asia Development Bank (ADB)
are working together in a bid to find solutions for the increasing
amount of solid waste being produced by the cities of China.
Solid wastes treatment specialists from home and abroad gathered in
Beijing this week to help the Ministry of Construction map out a
national strategy on urban disposal.
Data from the Ministry of Construction show that the country has
seen a rapid increase in the production of solid wastes in recent
years -- with an annual growth rate of 9 percent. Last year, an
estimated 110 million tons of solid waste was produced in the
cities.
Some cities facing a rapid population increase and improving living
standards have seen the production of wastes rise by 15 to 20
percent over the last two decades.
Industrial waste production has also increased sharply over the
same period and some 650 million tons of such wastes are produced
each year.
Experts suggest that the country should have both public and
private sectors from home and abroad involved in the treatment of
solid wastes in cities.
Larger and more competitive companies with better technology and
facilities should be encouraged. Small companies should be merged
or invite overseas investment to reorganize.
The experts gave the suggestions at the two-day international
seminar that closed Thursday.
"Participation of both national and international companies will
provide an opportunity for the exchange of management skills and
technologies in the area of waste management,'' David Campbell,
project team leader said.
Based on results of a 10-month case study in seven Chinese cities
including Shanghai and Nanjing, experts with the bank and the
ministry have drawn up a proposal strategy.
The ADB provided US$600,000 of technical assistance for the
project.
The strategy framework aims to significantly improve the quality
and sustainability of waste management practices in China over the
next 20 years.
Another urban environmental expert said public awareness and
participation is also crucial to China's urban waste
management.
"International experience shows that those countries whose
population has high levels of awareness and strong commitment to
environmental protection have the highest performing waste
management services and China should follow the examples,'' Nancy
S. Convard, urban environmental specialist and ADB official
suggested.
The importance of public participation in the decision-making
process, both for developing environment policies and plans, and in
accepting future practices or facilities is undoubtedly increasing
in China, Nancy said.
She said the role of the public in supporting future waste
management services will help families pay an increasingly large
part of total costs for household waste collection and
disposal.
The public should be encouraged to be involved in approval
processes for waste management schemes, she said.
Fu
Wenjuan, vice-minister of construction said her ministry, which is
responsible for urban waste management, will take the strategy
seriously.
"I
personally believe the strategy will help China establish a
well-run mechanism to manage urban waste, and we can implement the
action plan included in the strategy in some pilot cities,'' Fu
said.
(China Daily
08/10/2001)