Kathmandu’s Mounting Waste Challenge
Summary
Kathmandu Valley’s waste crisis has pushed Bancharedanda landfill to the brink, with unsorted garbage from the valley and nearby municipalities creating severe environmental and health problems. A long-delayed waste-to-energy project and unresolved land, legal, and coordination disputes have stalled scientific waste management for years.
Key Points
- Kathmandu Valley generates 1,200 to 1,600 metric tonnes of solid waste daily, much of it ending up at Bancharedanda landfill site.
- A $50 million Integrated Solid Waste Management Project has remained stalled for about 15 years because of political uncertainty, legal disputes, and coordination failures.
- Leachate from the landfill is contaminating streams and farmland, while nearby residents report respiratory, skin, and gastrointestinal illnesses.
- The Supreme Court of Nepal has ordered the formation of a high-powered committee to break the deadlock and push source segregation and waste-to-energy solutions.
