Project Description
This CTIF mandate will provide technical assistance to selected government and non-governmental beneficiaries in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Lao PDR to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing of best practices related to the effective and contextually appropriate application of waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies. Approaches to be explored will include but not be limited to the Life Cycle Assessment method. The mandate will also consider current solid waste recycling and reuse programs / strategies and local waste disposal capacity and propose technologies that will potentially suit local needs and contexts. Technical assistance will be delivered through workshops, focus groups, and virtual or in-person site visits involving three participating universities, national and local government officials, and civil society representatives from three cities or districts: Kota Samarahan, Malaysia; Xaythany District, Vientiane, Lao PDR; and Batam City, Indonesia. This mandate was initiated by Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), a public university that has conducted research on renewable energy, solid waste management (SWM), and WTE. The UTHM will be the lead coordinating beneficiary for this initiative.
Problem Being Addressed by CTIF
Global solid waste is expected to grow to 3.40 billion tonnes per year by 2050, more than double population growth over the same period. East Asia and the Pacific currently generates 23 percent of the world’s solid waste.
The participating countries in this project recognize that to contribute towards address this growing problem, there is a need to divert waste from landfills and increase production of sustainable energy to facilitate low-carbon economic growth in ASEAN. By enabling knowledge transfer between countries and among stakeholders within them, this mandate hopes to strengthen and enhance current decision-making regarding WTE policy development and implementation among the participating countries.
Development Dimension
In terms of environmental impacts and inclusion, it is recognized that WTE conversion technologies can reduce pressure on landfills, contribute to growing demands for renewable energy, and minimize greenhouse gas emissions when applied effectively. However, the implementation of WTE policies and selection of the most appropriate technology is not easy, especially when strategies applied in developed countries do not always align with the local contexts and SWM policies of developing countries. This is an issue that this mandate hopes to help address.
Moreover, the mandate will encourage equal participation by gender, recognizing findings from several institutions that gender inequalities and norms are embedded in almost every aspect of SWM, including but not limited to a gender pay gap, the low level of women’s share of the workforce, representation at management level, access to work opportunities and training, and their exposure to risks through informal employment.