CIUD, Kirtipur Municipality host workshop to showcase plastic waste management project results

KATHMANDU: Centre for Integrated Urban Development (CIUD) and Kirtipur Municipality of Kathmandu district held the Final Dissemination Workshop in Kathmandu on Monday to share the results of their innovative plastic waste management project.

Nearly 150 representatives from government agencies, local bodies, development organisations, waste management practitioners, and academicians attended the event. Key project strategies highlighted during the workshop included the effective collection of plastic waste at the source, segregation, recycling of high-value plastics, and upcycling low-value plastics into usable products. These efforts aim to promote a circular economy and emphasise collaborative stakeholder involvement.

The project, titled ‘Using Innovative Technology to Establish Plastic-Managed Communities and the Rivers,’ was implemented by CIUD in collaboration with Kirtipur Municipality and funded by the World Bank under its PLEASE programme. The South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) led the implementation, with UNOPS monitoring the initiative. Covering wards 1, 2, 3, and 4 of Kirtipur Municipality and neighbouring wards of Chandragiri Municipality and Kathmandu Metropolitan City along Balkhu River, the project integrated advanced waste management technologies, local entrepreneurship, and sustainable practices to transform plastic waste management.

During the workshop, Nabin Bikash Maharjan, Executive Director of CIUD, presented the project’s innovations. These include the installation of a trash boom, the establishment of a plastic recycling and upcycling plant, and the development of a plastic waste information management system to monitor waste generation and management. Maharjan also highlighted achievements such as household-level waste collection and women-led plastic waste-based entrepreneurship.

On the occasion, CIUD and Kirtipur Municipality declared six communities in wards 1, 2, 3, and 4 as certified plastic waste-managed communities during the workshop and presented them with certificates. Short videos showcasing sustainable waste management approaches and tools were screened, and contributors to the project’s success were recognised and honoured.

Chief Guest at the workshop, Rupa BK, State Minister for Forests and Environment, praised CIUD’s efforts and urged the scaling-up of similar projects with coordinated participation from federal, provincial, and local governments for long-term plastic management. She commended the women-led initiatives in recycling and upcycling, emphasising their substantial contributions to environmental improvement.

Ramita Rajbahak, representing Plastic Care, a women’s entrepreneur group recognised during the event, shared her experience of establishing recycling and upcycling businesses. She discussed the challenges faced and outlined plans to expand the initiative into a sustainable enterprise.

Mayor Krishna Man Dangol reflected on challenges encountered during implementation, such as securing land for a recycling plant, and announced plans to replicate the initiative to make Kirtipur Municipality entirely plastic-free. Deputy Mayor of Kirtipur Municipality, Shuva Laxmi Shakya, expressed gratitude for the efforts of municipal officials, stressing the need for the project’s sustainability. 

Komal Karki, Country Manager of UNOPS Nepal, emphasised the importance of sustainability in projects like PLEASE and highlighted the collective contributions of stakeholders in safeguarding rivers and oceans from plastic pollution.