Global Online Certificate Course: Sustainable Solid Waste Management in Global South

The global waste crisis is intensifying, driven by factors such as increasing waste generation, limited segregation at source, dearth of treatment facilities, and inadequate infrastructure. Waste collection and transportation expenses account for the largest share of the costs in managing solid waste, often ranging from 50-70 per cent of total expenditure,driven by factors such as high fuel costs for transportation to disposal sites in the absence of sufficient processing facilities, investment on human resources, vehicle maintenance and other operation and maintenance costs. Optimising the cost of collection and transportation is, therefore, extremely critical for ensuring financial sustainability of the solid waste management ecosystem. 

Municipalities across the world – and especially in the Global South -- face significant challenges, including financial constraints and low organisational capacity, in providing regular collection and safe disposal services.African countries, for instance, rely heavily on private entities which are supposed to recover the cost of collection and transportation from refuse collection charges. But limited recovery of user charges leads to irregular collection services, resulting in indiscriminate dumping and open burning of waste.  

There is an urgent need for equitable and inclusive municipal solid waste management systems that ensure access to collection services for all households, businesses and institutions within a municipality, regardless of their geographic location or socio-economic status. 

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) invites applications for its five-day specialised and comprehensive online training programme,designed to equip stakeholders with the latest strategies and tools to optimise the cost of waste collection and transportation.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

• Understanding current costs, identifying areas for improvement, and benchmarking against good practices
• Route optimisation and planning
• Vehicle selection and maintenance
• Strategies to foster community engagement and cooperation in effective collection
• Infrastructure development and financing
• Monitoring for collection and transportation efficiency

WHAT’S INCLUDED

• Live interactive sessions:Learn from experts, get your questions answered
• Comprehensive resources: Access to essential course materials to boost your knowledge
• Advance your learning journey with an e-certificate on successful completion of the course

For further details, please contact the course coordinators:

Mou Sengupta
Programme Manager
Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy Unit, CSE
Email: mou.sengupta@cseindia.org
Phone: +91 9836448262 

Minakshi Solanki
Senior Research Associate
Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy, CSE
Email: minakshi.solanki@cseindia.org
Phone: +91 7827392845