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The constraints on biological processes at altitude, therefore,
need to be analysed in detail when planning for the application
of biological treatment – not only for obtaining compost and/or
humus fromorganic waste but also for treating leachates to reduce
their potential for pollution prior to discharge into water bodies.
Governance of waste management in
mountain cities
The types and characteristics of solid waste in large mountain
cities relate more to levels of development rather than to
altitude. This is also true for the way solid waste is managed. In
general, the overarching structure of waste governance within
urban settlements in mountainous regions is similar to that of
waste governance in urban areas in other lowland parts of the
country. The composition of stakeholders involved in the waste
management process, as well as the goals and drivers, are
essentially the same.
As with any urban area, the stakeholders in the governance
of waste management in more mountainous regions consist
of legislative bodies, government institutions, management
authorities, waste generators, users of waste management
services and waste handlers.
Generally, the political and administrative characteristics of a
country defines the governance regimes. The role of national
governments is to lay out the national policies pertaining to
waste, and to design a strong, robust and transparent institutional
framework for SWM. Such a framework should make clear which
institutions and actors take on which roles at the different levels
of waste governance. It includes both a broad legal framework of
waste legislation, as well as more detailed regulations that allow
for the effective implementation of the framework.
A common feature is that SWM is generally delegated to
the government of the smallest territorial entity, usually the
municipality. The role of government institutions at the local
municipality level is primarily that of a client – the municipal
government body takes on the role of a ‘proxy-generator’ of
municipal solid waste. It is, therefore, the municipal government
body that is responsible for collecting revenues to finance the
SWM system, making executive decisions about who delivers
SWM services such as waste handling and disposal, and which
technologies are implemented. In making these decisions, it is
crucial that they take into account efficiency, economy of scale
and other relevant factors (Rodic, 2015c).
Waste handlers include government bodies responsible for the
collection and disposal of waste, as well as private enterprises
and stakeholders from the informal sector. Often government
institutions issue tenders to private companies to undertake
various aspects of thewastemanagement process. Several studies
(Rodic, 2015c; Scheinberg, Wilson and Rodic-Wiersma, 2010;
A waste collection truck in Bogota,
Colombia.
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