Experts call for multi-bin waste collection plan in Oman

Oman Tuesday 31/May/2016 22:13 PM
By: Times News Service
Experts call for multi-bin waste collection plan in Oman

Muscat: Oman residents will have to become smarter and change their behaviour in disposing of their refuse if a multi-bin system is introduced throughout the country, experts say.
“The multi-bin system for waste collection is important to reduce the risk of contamination of waste streams that increases costs to decontaminate or, in some cases, makes it impossible to do so. In addition, it makes people think about segregation of wastes and, thus, could change their behaviour,” Steve Halls, Chairman of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment - Oman, told Times of Oman.
The per capita waste generation in Oman is more than 1.2 kg per day, which is among one of the highest worldwide. The Sultanate produced about 1.85 million tonnes of municipal waste in 2015, and is projected to reach 2.04 tonnes by 2040.
Currently, the unsegregated waste is collected in huge steel containers. But authorities are increasing their focus on recycling some waste, or using part of it as fuel to power ocean water desalination plants.
“In principle, if the waste is segregated at its source, then it will make a significant contribution to recycling,” Halls said.
“But the reality,” he added, “is that until people change their behaviour and are motivated to put waste in the right bins, then it will only take one person to put the wrong waste in a bin and render that bin’s waste uneconomical. This will send the wrong message to those people who behave correctly, thus causing them to ask the question: why should they behave correctly when others do not?”
Good choice?
Others think the two-bin system is a good choice for Oman to start with. “Most states and municipalities in the USA used to have the fully-sorted system, where households and businesses were either requested or required to sort out glass, plastic, paper and metal from their regular trash. But this turned out to be a burdensome requirement for all but the most committed environmentalists,” Jamila Hakam, a Muscat-based environment researcher,said.
“So eventually, many municipalities switched to a ‘single-sort’ system, in which all the dry recyclables were simply placed together in one recycling bin and separated only from the regular trash, which is not recycled. Then the next step was to offer an option to separate compostables (organic material) from the trash. This would be broadly comparable to the ‘wet waste’ in the two-bin system being planned in Oman,” she said.
Efforts are underway to test the two-bin waste separation system at the household or community level in Oman, in the hope that the trial becomes permanent after seven years, a senior official of Be’ah noted.
Be’ah is responsible for solid waste management in Oman.
“There will be different pilot projects across Oman once the operators take over. Some of them recommended that they run small pilots, let’s say, in markets and city centers to see how segregation happens there. Some others may do it right away in smaller, manageable neighborhoods. So different pilots will happen throughout this project,” Shaikh Mohammed Sulaiman Al Harthy, Executive Vice President, Strategic Development Be’ah, said.
“The next phase will witness the full introduction of a two-bin system. It means we will have to have two collection systems and dedicated fleets for each waste stream,” he added.
“Eventually, segregation will be implemented across the country. But until that happens fully, people will see the system here and there as pilot projects,” said Al Harthy.
Be’ah officials say they are battling a public mindset, as well.
“In certain areas, we are still trying to raise awareness about how to use existing bins, making sure the waste goes inside the bins, not outside...or the containers are covered,” Al Harthy said, adding, “This is where we are concentrating right now.”
Hakam, however, said the solution has to be a practical one.
“People will not participate willingly if they don’t see a clear benefit to themselves and their families, even if the benefit might be in the form of financial incentives,” she said.
“Currently, without a significant awareness raising campaign targeting children and adults alike - it will not work,” Halls said.
“In addition, people will need an incentive to change their behaviour - either a gift or a fine,” he added.