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APN Project

Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research

Promoting sustainable use of waste biomass in Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic

Republic and Thailand: Combining food security, bio-energy and climate protection benefits

2009-2011 in cooperation with Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)

1. background

Urban and agricultural waste biomass is a large source of greenhouse gas emissions in Cambodia[1], Lao PDR and Thailand[2] due to mismanagement such as open burning and unsanitary landfills without gas recovery systems. For example, it is estimated that in Cambodia approximately 15% of waste is treated by self disposal and another 8% are disposed of through illegal dumping[3]. Open burning is common in Lao PDR[4]. The waste management in Cambodia and Lao PDR is less developed than in Thailand, even though around 65% of waste in Thailand are disposed of by open dumping, especially in rural area where the local authorities has low capacity in waste management[5].

Urban waste in these countries comprise 60-70% of organic waste[3,6,7], these waste can be composted for fertilizer or fermented to produce biogas. Urban organic waste and agricultural waste biomass can be used to enhance food and energy security by reducing the dependence on fossil fuels and mineral fertilizers. In addition, projects on improved waste treatment can earn CDM credits, which can improve their financial viability[8]. While Cambodia has registered a project on rice husk utilization and an animal waste biogas production project to CDM in 2006 and 2007 respectively[2,9], Thailand has already registered ten projects to CDM for urban and agricultural waste utilization to reduce greenhouse gas
emission[2].

Use of waste biomass for food production could increase income and accessibility to food, and reduce import of chemical fertilizers. Use of waste biomass for energy production[10] could create jobs, increase income and reduce import of energy. International organizations, such as the World Bank[11] and United Nations Environment Program[12], are actively promoting energy production from agricultural biomass and waste.

Despite the clear benefits of improved waste management approaches and technologies, implementation is currently weak due to lack of awareness, skilled personnel, and financial constraints[13,5]. Most improvement projects rely on external support to select and implement new technologies and many such projects have finally failed to meet the local conditions. The shutting down of large scale composting plants in China and terminated biogas projects in India are just a few examples where inappropriate technologies have led to failure.

Further, in practice the management of urban and agricultural waste biomass are often poorly integrated. There is a high potential for integrating the management of these waste streams for improved quality. For example, rice straw and plant residues from agriculture could improve the C:N ratio of the urban organic waste, thereby making it easier to compost. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the potential of a comprehensive approach to sustainable waste biomass management and to increase the capacity of local authorities to select and implement the most suitable technologies for their local contexts as well as to stimulate the development of supportive national policies and institutions.

2. Objectives

(i) Promote sustainable waste biomass management for climate change mitigation, food and bioenergy production for sustainable livelihoods and self-reliance in Cambodia, Lao PDR and hailand,
(ii) Develop the capacity of local authorities to select and implement suitable waste biomass management approaches and technologies relying mainly on local resources,
(iii) Increase the awareness of local stakeholders of potential benefits of proper waste biomass management: climate change mitigation, food security, renewable energy generation, income
increase and health protection.

3. Expected outcome

(i) Knowledge on suitable technologies and approaches for sustainable use of biomass for food security, bio-energy and climate protection in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand.
(ii) A technology evaluation and selection tool and an implementation guideline for sustainable waste biomass management appropriate for national and local actors, published in English, Khmer, Lao and Thai.
(iii) Staff of at least 30 local authorities in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand is trained to select and implement the most suitable technology for waste biomass management in their local contexts.
(iv) Increased awareness of government officials, local authorities and other stakeholders in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand of the value of beneficial waste biomass utilisation to pursue country needs for food and energy, and on the need to promote sustainable waste biomass management in the national policies.
(v) Findings of the project, including lessons that are relevant to other countries are disseminated through websites, training programmes, seminars and academic papers.
(vi) An improved knowledge infrastructure which makes it easier for Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand to cooperate on technology transfer for sustainable use of waste biomass.

4. Methodology

The research outcomes will be disseminated to policy and decision makers at regional, national and local levels. Training programmes will be conducted to increase capacity and awareness of local authorities using local languages: Khmer, Lao and Thai.

5. Dissemination of research output

Research findings and project output will be disseminated through: a website, further training sessions, workshops, international conferences and academic journals (throughout the project period). Report and findings will be distributed to the governments, local authorities and interested parties in the target countries, and also distributed to related international and national organizations.

For more detail project partner visit link website: http://www.apn.gr.jp/newAPN/indexe.htm

SAB Project ( 7 items )

Project “Social Waste Management Center of Battambang (SAB)”
Overview
The Project “Social Waste Management Centre Battambang”, starting in December 2008 and ending in December 2010is another outcome of the close cooperation between the Thuringian – Cambodian Association (TKG) from Germany and the Cambodian Education and Waste Management Organization (COMPED), based in Phnom Penh. The Project site is located on the Dumpsite in Battambang. The project´s aim is to improve the waste pickers life conditions, the working conditions as well as raising their income and giving free education to their children. Additionally, the eco-friendliness and the sustainability shall be improved by implementing and teaching waste management in ways of more professional sorting to sell more recyclable waste and to compost the biodegradable waste. Additionally, the farmers around the dumpsite, who present our second target group, shall be trained to be more aware of eco-friendly farming. Also, their income shall be raised by usage of compost. The project includes the construction of three buildings, such as a social center, a sorting place for the delivered waste from the city of Battambang to the dumpsite and a composting place. To reach the aims of our Project we are working on four different main fields:
• founding up a cooperative of waste pickers
• producing compost
• setting up a school for all children
• organizing trainings for different target groups
Founding a Cooperative of waste pickers
Right now, the waste pickers work by their own, sort the waste and capture around 5% of all the recyclable waste to sell it later. This is how they make an income of 20-40$ per family and month. We want to found a waste pickercooperative where they all work together to strengthen their workforce. According to this we offer them more professional equipment and a better surrounding like the sorting place so that the rate of collected recyclable waste increases. On top of that, all the waste will be collected, stored and be sold only one time a week in bigger amounts, so that we can compete with the conventional whole sellers and to get a higher price in the end which will be paid according to the amount of the collected waste to the waste pickers. This cooperative is only in their interest.
Producing Compost
As it is already written above, it is not only the recyclable waste that will be sorted out but also the biodegradable waste which is the biggest part (between 50 and 80%) of the whole waste, delivered to the dumpsite. Therefore we´ve got specialized and trained employees, sorting out the biodegradable waste and organizing the composting. The Compost will be sold; the income is used to run our whole composting plant as well as parts of the social center. To promote the use of compost which is still widely unknown in farmers’ communities we started different kinds of trainings.
Setting up a school for all children
Through improving the working conditions of the waste pickers we induce a rise of their income. That enables them to abandon their children´s workforce. This is how we reach another aim of the project: the education of the children. After they are not needed anymore to feed the family we can make sure that they receive a proper education. Fundraising has already started, 30 children get a godparent from Germany who pays money in a pool we use to equip a school which is integrated in our social center. The money is also used to pay a teacher, school materials, school uniforms and other necessary things the students need but which their parents’ can´t provide. Nevertheless, the school on the Project site is not a compensation for the attendance of a public school but a necessary supplement to a normal education to support those who don´t have the best presuppositions, cause by their social background. On top of that, our teacher offers also mental support to the waste picker families and free education to the adults. The school providing lessons in mathematics, khmer and english is completely free.
Organizing trainings for different target groups
According to our main project aims we organized different kinds of trainings for our main target groups, the farmers and the waste pickers. In detail we do the following trainings:
• For 30 waste pickers 36 trainings, focused on the issues of hygiene, waste management, awareness for toxic waste and recyclable waste
• 4 info days for the whole community around the project site to garner their support for our project
• 6 times four days training for each 20 multiplicators (“training of the trainers”) in the fields of composting, biological waste, fertilization
• 24 one day training for each 50 farmers to build up knowledge in the fields of composting, show the advantages of composting and of using compost as bio-fertilizer as well as advantages of substitution of chemical fertilizer though compost and promotion of the compost, produced on our composting plant
• Advisory of farmers through the multiplicators in their home community
Compost Project ( 11 items )

In year 2000, with the support of Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Protection and Environment of Free Sate of Thuringia, Germany and after being authorized by the Phnom Penh Municipality, the first composting plant for treatment of biodegradable waste was built at Choeung Meanchey dumpsite in Phnom Penh.

Actually, the biodegradable waste builds the biggest part of the municipal waste in Phnom Penh. Therefore, the goals of the composting project are
- to co-operate with the authorities in dealing with the waste crisis in Phnom Penh to save the environment,
- to show the authorities the feasibility and effectiveness of waste reduction through composting,
- to help and find job opportunities for poor families living near the dumpsite to reduce poverty,
- to bring nutrient back to nature by deploying compost and showing farmers the benefits of compost.
Vocational Training ( 6 items )
Sponsor School ( 17 items )
Asia Pro Eco Project ( 5 items )