Unlocking Local Food Systems’ Zero Waste Potential

A Success Story from the Markets of Warwick

Written by Lily Nobel

Over the last 3 years, the Warwick zero waste composting project has taken food waste from the Early Morning Market (EMM) in the Markets of Warwick (a neighborhood in Durban, South Africa) and transformed it into nutrient-rich compost at the Durban Botanic Gardens. As landfills in South Africa are rapidly filling up, this project showcases the power of utilizing small spaces and limited resources to reduce methane emissions from the waste sector — a greenhouse gas 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide. According to the UNEP’s Global Methane Assessment, reducing methane is a crucial step to keep global warming under 1.5°C, the threshold established by the Paris Agreement.

Currently, this project is being upscaled across the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and revolutionizing organic waste management in the area–unlocking resources through saving public funds and creating locally accessible jobs. Empowered by strong partnerships among local organizations, and fueled by effective data collection, this pilot successfully demonstrates the potential of decentralized, environmental justice-centered composting that not only brings climate benefits but also promotes social interests.

Team members from groundWork, the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Horticulture Department, the eThekwini Municipality Parks, Recreation and Culture Unit (PRC), the Cleansing and Solid Waste Unit (CSW), and the Business Support, Markets, Tourism and Agribusiness Unit (BSMTAU) pose together at the Durban Botanic Garden where the composting is done.
Collaboration at the Warwick Zero Waste Project. Photo credit: Lunga Benghu

Easily replicable decentralized composting model

In 2022, groundWork, the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Horticulture Department, the eThekwini Municipality Parks, Recreation and Culture Unit (PRC), the Cleansing and Solid Waste Unit (CSW), and the Business Support, Markets, Tourism and Agribusiness Unit (BSMTAU) partnered to launch a composting pilot project in the Durban Botanic Gardens’ permaculture site. It quickly evolved from composting a weekly 240 liter bin of food and vegetable waste to building 12 large compost windrows that are currently maintained to mature compost in a 3-month cycle.

Before zero waste: Organic waste from the EMM goes to the nearest landfills – Buffelsdraai and Illovu landfills – over 35 km away from the city. Photo credit: Lunga Benghu

As of March 2024, the pilot has diverted over 72 tonnes of organic waste from landfills by collecting approximately 1.5 tonnes of organic waste from the EMM weekly in two separate collection points and combining this with approximately 1 tonne of garden waste. Since July 2023, the project has supplied over 41 tonnes of compost to the city’s PRC Unit, free of charge, for use in parks and community gardens across the municipality. Samples of the compost undergo regular testing —such as full nutrient analysis, pot trails, and microbial analysis— to refine the ‘recipe’ and to ensure quality control. These tests demonstrate the high quality of the compost produced.

Cost-saving public funds for waste management

While many waste projects often seek investment from external actors, this project utilizes existing resources to unlock significant savings from public funds. By diverting organic waste from landfills, the city reduces the costs associated with landfilling and landfill airspace, which in Durban is estimated to be approximately R1,774 (93 USD) per tonne of waste. The Buffelsdraai and Illovu landfills, the only two operating landfills in Durban, are both located 35 kilometers or more from the city center, leading to high transportation costs. Findings from a cost-benefit analysis report on the project show how the various city departments have the potential to save money from reduced waste management costs and access to free compost. To date, the parks department alone has saved R23,600 (1,250 USD) from compost received through the project. As the project scales up, the savings can be used to sustainably cover the salary of the staff who manage the composters. Unlike waste incineration projects, which require huge capital and operational costs and lock cities in a put-or-pay scheme for decades, this composting model saves the city money, which is then reinvested to rapidly scale the composting model, leading to even bigger savings and opportunities to scale, in a virtuous circle. 

Job creation through zero waste

This environmental justice-centered model composting project improves social realities in the area by providing local jobs. On a tonne-for-tonne basis, composting can create three times as many jobs as landfill and incineration. In South Africa, 42.2% of people aged 15-34 years are neither employed, nor enrolled in formal education or training programs as of the last quarter of 2023. As this project is scaled up, composting is estimated to create four jobs per 400 tons of waste processed. The project also improves the working conditions and social protections of the informal market traders, waste collectors, and composters. Moreover, the Warwick zero waste project prioritizes the employment of people from the market and local communities, rather than using machines that often require external experts. In contrast, incineration creates the least amount of jobs and requires workers with highly specialized skills that are not accessible to the local population.

The delivery of Early Morning Market organics to the compost site and windrow preparations. Photo credit: Lunga Benghu

Waste methane reduction for South Africa

Meanwhile, source-separated organic collection with composting demonstrates significantly higher climate mitigation and adaptation benefits. Composting alone can prevent as much as 99% of methane emissions that would otherwise come from landfills. When the finished compost is utilized in place of synthetic fertilizer, further GHG emissions are saved by reducing emissions of nitrous oxide, not to mention avoiding the fossil fuel emissions from creating fertilizer. The application of compost to the soil also boosts flood and drought resistance and increases carbon sequestration capacity.

Although South Africa’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) provide neither specific targets nor roadmaps for the waste sector, the Warwick zero waste project paves a crucial pathway to help the country improve its national climate goals. By proving the efficacy of decentralized composting projects, the Warwick site can be used as a model for the nation and other countries on how to invest in empowering and inclusive organic management projects powered by local organizations and communities, thereby maximizing municipal resources and local knowledge.

Zero waste markets in Durban and beyond

Currently, the project team and city partners are working on expanding waste collection from the EMM to compost all 400 tonnes of waste generated by the market every year. Alongside this expansion, the team plans to replicate the model in a second market, the Bangladesh Market. In the longer term, the project team is targeting all nine fresh fruit and vegetable markets in Durban, proving the model’s feasibility and efficacy on a larger scale. The project has drawn an increasing interest among other municipalities in South Africa, and the team is actively engaging with government officials across the country and region.

map of markets in Durban, South Africa. Aside from The Early Morning Market where the project is currently ongoing, 8 other fresh produce markets are highlighted in the map. eThekwini municipal markets targeted for scale up and in relation to the Buffelsdraai landfill. We are currently at the Early Morning Market and will be moving to the Bangladesh Market this year. Credit: Ayanda Mnyandu
Growing the zero waste composting model in all the markets in Durban starting with Early Morning Market then moving on to Bangladesh Market this year. Credit: Ayanda Mnyandu

No to incineration, go for zero waste

The cost-saving model demonstrated by the Warwick zero waste project can be upscaled rapidly with the right flow of capacity and resource support. This also means ceasing support for inflexible, costly, and carbon-intensive infrastructures, particularly waste incineration. Policymakers and financiers must ensure that investment in organic waste management projects must be aligned with Environmental Justice principles and inclusive of local organizations and knowledge to build lasting environmental and societal impact. 

More Environmental Justice Stories

PHILIPPINES, Quezon City, 21 March 2024 – In a significant move for labor rights and environmental justice, waste workers and waste pickers from diverse regions across the Philippines gathered for a national consultation, forming a national alliance and demanding a Magna Carta for Waste Workers — marking a historic and unified call for the recognition of their rights.

From Manila to Siquijor, representatives of various waste picker and waste worker groups voiced concerns regarding their social conditions, ranging from job insecurity to exposure to health hazards to the imperative need for humane working conditions, better pay, health benefits, and protection against discrimination. The delegates, representing over 1,000 waste workers and waste pickers from across the country, determined that despite their diversity, they have similar and resounding aspirations, all of them having faced a form of marginalization and discrimination in their line of work.

Following their emotional sharing of experiences and visions, Marina Cuyugan, Treasurer of Women Waste Warrior (Manila), persuaded her colleagues to form a national alliance. “Everything we discussed today will not become a reality if we don’t organize ourselves. We need to form a national organization. If we don’t, who will listen to us?” she told her fellow participants.

Thus, the establishment of the Philippine National Waste Workers Alliance (PNWWA) — the first-ever national alliance of such kind in the country — as a unified front to advocate for their demands and their rights.
Aloja Santos, president of Dumaguete Women Waste Workers Association and founding president of the newly-formed alliance, vowed to lobby for the adoption of a magna carta for waste workers embodying their demands and aspirations. “If there is one thing we must accomplish, it is having a law that is grounded on our realities and responsive to our needs,” she said.

“We must be given social benefits and protection because we provide essential services to society. We are as deserving of such benefits and protection as any other worker. Perhaps even more so. Without us, society will not function efficiently. People just need to recognize our contributions to see that,” she added.
For Wilhelmina Magdaluyo, President of the Malabon-Navotas Waste Workers Association (MaNaWWA), benefits due to waste workers should not be subject to the whims of local politicians. “Many of our peers have been removed from work when there is a change of leadership after an election, despite doing hard work for more than 10 or 20 years. We need to ensure that every waste worker in the country gets the same protection,” she said. As a first step, the delegates formulated 10 demands which will be embodied in a draft magna carta that they plan to submit to the senate.

  1. Enforcement of Labor Standards (Pagpapatupad ng mga Pamantayan ng Trabaho)
    Enforcement of labor standards protects waste workers from being exploited, ensuring proper compensation and protection of rights.
  2. Hazard Pay (Bayad sa Panganib)
    Given the waste workers’ unsafe working conditions and exposure to health risks such as hazardous materials, the provision of hazard pay is a concrete demonstration of the recognition of waste workers’ rights.
  3. Health Insurance and Services (Seguro at Serbisyong Pangkalusugan)
    Access to health benefits and provision of essential medical care and support ensures waste workers’ safety and security.
  4. Humane and Safe Working Conditions (Makatao at Ligtas na Kalagayan sa Pagtatrabaho)
    The health and safety risks that waste workers face should be a thing of the past. It is imperative upon the government to ensure safe working conditions for all workers, especially those managing waste. Provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) is just one of the basic actions that must be carried out to ensure waste workers’ safety.
  5. Job Security (Seguridad sa Trabaho)
    Waste workers lack job security. Many face the risk of layoffs or contract terminations, resulting in financial instability and economic vulnerability. Providing job security not only allows for financial stability and security but also promotes commitment and reliability in the long term.
  6. Just Compensation (Tamang Pasahod)
    Fair wages for waste workers not only ensure economic security, it also recognizes the essential role of waste workers in communities as frontliners.
  7. Meaningful participation in policy spaces (Makabuluhang Pakikilahok sa mga Espasyo ng Patakaran)
    Waste workers have the experience and expertise that can meaningfully contribute to our communities’ waste management policies. Waste workers’ voices should be at the front and center of policy discussions for just, informed, and effective policies.
  8. Right to Organize (Karapatang Mag-organisa)
    The formation of the Philippine National Waste Workers Association (PNWWA) allows waste workers to have proper representation in policy spaces. An organized group is better equipped at advocating for basic rights and better working conditions. This also grants an opportunity for collective action and empowerment of waste workers in the Philippines.
  9. Social Benefits and Protection (Kapakinabangan at Proteksyong Panlipunan)
    Waste workers are among the most vulnerable sectors in society, facing security and health risks, economic instability, and even social discrimination. Access to social benefits and protection is critical in addressing these issues, allowing for dignified labor and more humane living conditions.
  10. Training (Pagsasanay)
    Since waste pickers and waste workers deal with hazardous materials, training for safe-handling is essential to ensure safe working conditions. Skills training will also be useful for work outside the waste sector.

Mother Earth Foundation (MEF) Chairman Sonia Mendoza lauded the waste workers for organizing themselves. “Despite being praised as environmental heroes for their contributions to society, waste workers face numerous challenges. Being an organized group provides them advantages such as collective bargaining power, better sectoral representation and recognition, and access to capacity training,” she said.


She added, “MEF’s Zero Waste City models would not be successful without the hard work, commitment, and dedication of waste workers. Yet the invaluable help of these unsung heroes in our Zero Waste work is often ignored and not given importance, especially by the government. The significant strides that the Zero Waste movement has achieved would not have been possible in the Philippines and around the world without waste workers.”


Various estimates place the number of waste workers and waste pickers in the Philippines at over 100,000 under the informal waste sector, but waste worker groups and their partner NGOs believe this is a gross underestimation. Waste workers and waste pickers often work in open dumpsites and wander around cities collecting trash on-foot or with carts, thus their numbers are mostly unrecorded. And while considered essential workers, waste workers are underpaid and overworked, with only 4,000 (.04%) waste workers nationwide reported to receive annual wages at around P250,000 in materials recovery, waste collection, and waste treatment and disposal.


“We call on the government to ensure a just transition for informal workers in the waste sector by once and for all listening to their voices and immediately acting on improving their working and living conditions. The waste workers and waste pickers are not asking for far too much. All they are demanding is that they be accorded their fundamental rights as Filipinos, and as workers whose contributions greatly benefit society,” said Sherma Benosa, lead of the Just Transition work of GAIA Asia Pacific.

“They are not only the backbone of efficient resource and waste management, they also play a central role in climate change mitigation. If we are to succeed in our fight against plastic pollution and climate change, we need to support our frontliners — the waste workers and waste pickers,” she added.

Interview with MaNaWWA President Wilhelmina Magdaluyo by Dan Abril

A group of people is sitting in a basketball court, holding up a banner.
Photo courtesy of MaNaWWA

Emerging from the zero waste initiatives pioneered by Mother Earth Foundation (MEF) Philippines in the cities of Malabon and Navotas in the Philippines, the Malabon-Navotas Waste Workers Association (MaNaWWA) was established in November 2021 as a means to boost the morale of waste workers. 

Comprising collectors, drivers of waste collection vehicles, palero (shoveller), dispatchers, caretakers of Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF), composters, estero (creek) rangers, canal decloggers, street sweepers, waste pickers, monitoring officers, environmental police, and more, MaNaWWA is dedicated to improving the working conditions of waste workers and spotlighting their crucial role in combating plastic pollution.

Initially, MaNaWWA had a modest membership. However, this increased significantly after collaborating with Sagip Kapamilya of the ABS-CBN Foundation in June 2022. MANAWWA currently boasts a membership of 355 individuals from Malabon and Navotas. The organization is also registered under the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), making it eligible to receive government assistance and benefits, such as livelihood assistance, trainings, and financial resources.

Our talk with current MaNaWWA President Wilma Magdaluyo offered insights into their work and their campaign to reduce the impact of waste and to bring recognition to waste workers.

a group of people discussing around a table
Photo courtesy of MaNaWWA

What are MaNaWWA’s main ongoing campaigns?

MaNaWWA’s ongoing campaigns focus on garnering support from barangay members, emphasizing waste reduction and recycling. We have informational drives that span barangays (villages), schools, and non-government organizations (NGOs). However, our initiatives are not limited to waste segregation but are extended to livelihood programs for waste workers such as dishwashing liquid production and rug-making from discarded textiles recovered during waste collection.

What are MaNaWWA’s biggest accomplishments/achievements?

Our foremost achievement lies in fostering community awareness about proper waste segregation. Overcoming initial obstacles, our campaign has significantly boosted waste diversion. This means a substantial portion of waste, including PET bottles, cardboard, and plastic cups, now reaches recycling centers instead of landfills. Further, kitchen waste is processed into compost for urban gardens managed by MaNaWWA members. Vegetables from the garden are then distributed among association members, creating a sustainable cycle. Today, households, armed with information on proper waste segregation, voluntarily segregate their waste before handing it over to our waste workers.

In 2023, we spearheaded the Waste Workers Appreciation Day, a significant event that aimed to acknowledge the tireless efforts of waste workers, with valuable assistance from MEF. MaNaWWA is also a member of the Malabon and Navotas’ Solid Waste Management Board, an administrative body tasked with coordinating and overseeing solid waste management activities of the city. There, we contribute our expertise to enhance waste management strategies in these areas. Further, we were one of the delegates at the GAIA Asia Pacific Regional Meeting held in 2023 in Hoi An, Vietnam. That meeting gathered GAIA members from all over Asia Pacific and it was a great platform to discuss the waste crisis and celebrate our zero waste initiatives.

Earlier this year, we participated in the launch of the Philippine National Waste Workers Alliance (PNWWA), an association advocating for the rights of Filipino waste workers. I am proud to serve on the board, contributing to the collective efforts aimed at championing the rights of waste workers.

What challenges are you facing? How does the COVID crisis impact your work?

The pandemic posed considerable risks for our waste workers. Our profession already exposes us to occupational hazards, and the pandemic exacerbated this by limiting access to personal protection equipment (PPE). The improper disposal of health-related waste, such as used face masks and plastic shields, further complicated the situation.

Presently, our primary concern is the lack of funds. We wish to provide financial and medical assistance to needy members, but our resources, sadly, are constrained.

What are the main environmental issues that your country/region is facing?

A significant issue is the prevalence of sachets in our waste collection. These items contribute to sewage blockages and floods, escalating disease rates. In the past, refill options were commonplace in small neighborhood retail shops, reducing the need for sachets. However, sachets are everywhere, especially in low-income areas.

We have made strides in mitigating the problems caused by sachets with our waste collection initiatives but we call on companies to stop producing sachets for the sake of communities and the environment.

a group of people holding up banners
Photo courtesy of Mother Earth Foundation (MEF)

How do you see your organization’s work evolving in the next few years?

What we envision is more and strengthened collaboration with other NGOs and government bodies. We also look forward to conducting more seminars on enhancing community awareness on waste reduction. 

What are your thoughts on the waste crisis that many countries in your region (and in the world) are living in right now?

The waste crisis demands a collaborative effort from all sectors to minimize its impact. Sachets, particularly in the Philippines, contribute significantly to this crisis, needing urgent attention.

Do you collaborate with partners in other regions? If so, how?

Currently, we collaborate with MEF on diverse initiatives, including seminars and information dissemination on waste segregation. MEF has provided valuable training on occupational safety and basic computer skills, which we aim to pass on to other members.

a group of people huddled around in a discussion
Photo courtesy of MaNaWWA

Who do you admire most in environmental work (in your country or the world)?

We admire MEF for its commitment to zero waste and its sincere efforts in educating and reaching out to schools and barangays.

Call for funding 

MaNaWWA urgently requires funding to provide financial support for waste workers, covering medical expenses and livelihood programs. Additionally, they seek support for seminars focusing on self-care and occupational safety. Supporting MANAWWA directly contributes to the betterment of waste workers’ lives and the community’s environmental well-being. You can email them at manawasteworkersassociation@gmail.com or check out MANAWWA’s work in Malabon and Navotas on their Facebook page: Malabon-Navotas Waste Workers Association (MaNaWWA).

Let’s support our waste pickers and waste workers. Read our feature article, SHINING THE SPOTLIGHT ON WASTE WORKERS AND WASTE PICKERS THROUGH JUST TRANSITION, and explore GAIA members working towards a just transition.

A significant step to comply with the Global Methane Pledge

Contributed by YPBB

In a significant and forward-thinking move, the West Java provincial government officially prohibited the disposal of organic waste in the Sarimukti landfill, located in the West Bandung Regency, effective January 1, 2024. This comes as a response to the  August 2023 Sarimukti landfill fires. The policy has the potential to divert 228,855 tons of organic waste per year from Bandung alone — preventing 575,428 tonnes CO2eq of methane emissions per year from the landfill. The West Java Provincial government has targeted a reduction of 754,154 tonnes CO2eq from all the landfills in West Java by 2030. This means that Bandung, the capital of the province, can contribute 75% of the set target.

Apart from reducing methane, this policy has the potential to contribute to environmental justice by significantly reducing river pollution caused by the landfill’s leachate, which is a water source for more than 6,000 people. If implemented in parallel with separate organic waste collection and treatment, cities could save significant costs, particularly on transportation, and it could also contribute to the local economy, creating 6 jobs per tonnes of waste managed, double the current system.

A fireman aims the water hose at a fire at a landfill in Sarimukti
The Sarimukti Landfill catches fire. source: Sindonews

Methane, a greenhouse gas 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide, is an increasingly significant global concern to deliver climate action. According to the UNEP’s Global Methane Assessment, reducing methane is a crucial step to keep global warming under 1´5ºC, the threshold established by the Paris Agreement. Interestingly, the Climate Transparency Report (2022) highlights that Indonesia’s waste sector is the country’s largest methane emitter.

In 2023, Sarimukti landfill, a regional landfill serving four cities in West Java, was projected to surpass its capacity. Landfill fires got out of control – AZWI reported 38 landfill fire occurrences in 2023,  attributing methane from organic waste as its root cause. Responding to this critical situation, the Bandung Zero Waste Forum and grassroots groups, particularly Friends of The Earth Indonesia (WALHI) and Yaksa Pelestari Bumi Berkelanjutan (YPBB) —members of Alliance for Zero Waste Indonesia (AZWI)— initiated intensive advocacy efforts, targeting the ban of organic waste landfilling and incineration, emphasizing how the air pollution was affecting waste pickers and the community around the landfill. By August 2023, provincial and local governments declared a waste emergency status, and soon after, the organic waste ban to landfill was sealed.

A waste worker in Bandung, Indonesia collects segregated at-source waste, he is seen transferring organic waste from a resident's trash bin to his collection cart.
An informal waste collector conducts separate collection in a neighborhood in Bandung. source: YPBB

Incinerator Threat Looms

However, while this policy is a critical milestone for the Metro Bandung area, the provincial government is risking this achievement with a Waste-to-Energy incinerator project proposal in Legok Nangka, a newly built regional landfill to replace Sarimukti. In opposition, WALHI has continuously warned the government about the hidden risks of incineration, emphasizing the risk of methane-to-carbon swapping, the obstacle it will pose to cities to achieve its climate and waste reduction targets, and its adverse impacts to local communities. Accordingly, YPBB and Bandung Zero Waste Forum advocate for coherent policies through alternative policy scenarios that do not rely on incineration. 

Furthermore, the organic waste ban to landfill should be implemented carefully. The government must not allow pitfalls as experienced by the European “zero waste to landfill” policy, which has resulted in an excess of incineration capacity in this region. The policy should be more ambitious by including a mandatory source separation, separate collection, and treatment of organic waste, and a ban on landfilling ‘untreated organic waste’.

Three protesters wearing complete PPEs protest the incinerator plans in Indonesia. On the left, the protester holds a placard that says in Bahasa Indonesia "Bakar Sampah Masalah Datang", the middle one's placard reads "Incinerator: Fake Solutions!"; and the protester on the right holds a placard that can only be partially seen
Local groups protest incinerator plans in Indonesia. source: WALHI

Zero Waste is Already Happening

It is critical that the organic waste ban to landfill policy drives and scales up the existing zero waste models. Nine zero-waste city models throughout Indonesia (Bandung City, Bandung Regency, Cimahi, Sumedang, Purwakarta, Karawang, Gresik, Denpasar and Gianyar) organized by AZWI cover a population of more than 478,000 people with an average of 40% waste segregation compliance rate, up to an 88% in the best cases, which is by far the highest in the country. In total, these zero waste models have the potential to reduce organic waste sent to landfill by 6,500 tons per year. In a recent report, YPBB and GAIA found that a city-scale zero waste implementation in Bandung is four times more climate-effective than incineration. The success of these zero waste initiatives has relied on two strategic pillars:

  1. implementation of waste prevention measures, source separation and separate collection of various waste streams, including organic waste; and
  2. strong community engagement with a clear priority for inclusion of informal waste collectors. Ultimately, local stakeholders have played a pivotal role in implementing the zero waste models that started with minimal government support.
Nine members of AZWI and DLH sit around a concrete table at an open public space in Bandung.
Aliansi Zero Waste Indonesia (AZWI) and Dyan Prasetyangningtyas (DLH Kota Surabaya) conduct a stakeholders meeting in Bandung. source: YPBB

In conclusion,  the level of ambition required in achieving Indonesia’s climate commitments, and the political momentum in West Java should be harnessed to drive systemic change. This can happen now thanks to decades of collective and dedicated work of local groups like YPBB, Bandung Zero Waste Forum, WALHI, and AZWI. To make the most of this, governments and financial institutions must create the right flow of resources and capacity — aligned with Environmental Justice principles — making the inclusion of local organizations a clear priority for a lasting impact.

Back to COP28 Resources

February 20, 2024 – In 2003, community leaders and members in Broga-Semenyih Selangor protested and won the fight against the construction of waste-to-energy (WtE) incinerators in Peninsular Malaysia.  Malaysia has set a sterling example of averting incinerator proposals in the region. Today, however,  WtE incinerators are making a comeback in the guise of “circular economy” and “climate action”. Residents of Batu Arang WtE proposed site are pushing back on this government plan citing health, traffic congestion, property values, geogolical fragility as a previous coal mine with a long network of tunnels beneath the ground, and the site’s heritage status. 

 “Communities in Asia and the Pacific have long since proven that practical, low-cost, and community-led practices are more effective than burning waste,” said Brex Arevalo, GAIA Asia Pacific’s Climate and Anti-Incineration Campaigner, in a symposium organized by the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP), Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM), and Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) Asia Pacific. “But here we are, as we get more adept at zero waste solutions, waste burning industries are also getting more eloquent in selling their product offering fake and empty promises.”

A group of people sitting around a table.
Batu Arang residents discuss the challenges faced by the community. (Photo by Nur Colis/WALHI)

The symposium which was organized as part of International Zero Waste Month, aimed to share the environmental and public health issues on WtE incineration rampantly peddled in Asia Pacific. The event was attended by leading researchers, activists, and non-governmental organizations, from  Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, Japan, Australia, and Europe.  “We intend to use the insights gained from presentations by invited experts to formulate a policy paper to be submitted to authorities in Malaysia as part of our advocacy on debunking false solutions,” explained Mageswari Sangaralingam, Senior Research Officer of CAP and Honorary Secretary of SAM. Malaysia currently has a policy of building at least one incinerator per state. 

Yuenmei Wong, an independent researcher from Malaysia, highlighted that the country’s legislation primarily addresses essential aspects of solid waste management like collection, disposal, and infrastructure, with insufficient enforcement on minimizing waste during resource extraction. In the current Global Plastics Treaty (GPT) negotiations, civil society organizations are demanding solutions to cover the plastic waste crisis holistically, not just at the end of its life cycle but from the extraction of resources.  

Leaders and residents of Batu Arang were also in attendance. Over three hundred people rallied in protest at Bandar Tasik Puteri just days before the symposium.

A group of people standing on a rocky shore.
Lake in Batu Arang which used to be the site of mining activities. “Batu Arang” means literally “stone charcoal” in English. (Photo by Nur Colis/WALHI)

Firefighting in Asia Pacific

“We have the solution,” said Froilan Grate, GAIA Asia Pacific Coordinator. GAIA has implemented the Zero Waste Cities Collaborators Project in partnership with 18 member organizations for the establishment of zero waste programs in more than 25 cities and communities in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India. The project was able to divert more than 1.9 million tonnes of waste from landfills, and has put in place at least 23 local ordinances on waste management and single-use plastic bans.

Europe, China, and Japan have increasingly looked at Asian countries as emerging markets for their homegrown WtE incinerators as they face saturated domestic markets. Since investing in emerging markets are risky endeavors for their homegrown WtE incinerator companies, they have used their political and financial leverage through international financial institutions such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB),  and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to direct public finance in support of these industries. 

In the Philippines, despite a standing ban on waste incineration, Ninya Sarmiento, Plastic-Free Pilipinas Project Campaigner of the Ecowaste Coalition, has raised concerns over moves to legalize waste incineration and local partnerships with WtE companies in which the ADB, through its support for reviewing feasibility studies, developing Public-Private Partnership options, assisting in project preparation, and managing tender processes, has been accused of undermining the country’s Clean Air Act which banned waste incineration.

Speaking from Australia,  Jane Bremmer, the Campaign Coordinator of Toxics-Free Australia, shared the regression in waste minimization. “On the eve of the new Global Plastics Treaty negotiations in Paris, the Australian Environment Minister has decided to reopen plastic waste exports after the previous federal government introduced a five-year ban. The 2019 ban on waste exports came in response to China and Southeast Asian countries’ exposure to waste dumping.” 

Dr Jorge Emmanuel, Adjunct Professor from the Environmental Science and Engineering Department at Silliman University in Dumaguete, the Philippines, emphasized a critical point, stating, “Even the most advanced WtE incinerators emit dioxins.” He noted that due to the latency period of dioxin emissions, the actual impact may not be observable for another 7 to 10 years and to have strong evidence of dioxin emissions, a large percentage of people would need to have died from dioxin-related diseases like cancer. Dr. Emmanuel stressed, “That’s why I believe in the precautionary principle; if there’s already strong evidence from around the world, we cannot wait for another incinerator to be put up and wait for the next decades for science to show us conclusively that people died because of WtE incinerator emissions.”

While in countries where WtE incineration is the default practice, experts have shared issues on environmental regulations. 

In China, municipal WtE incinerators have increased tremendously from 130 in 2011 to 927 at the end of 2022. However, more than 40 Not-In-My-Backyard Movements (NIMBY) in the past decade compelled the China government to improve regulations on WtE incineration. “When most of China’s big cities enforced mandatory waste sorting, the operational data from waste-to-power plants between 2020 and 2023 revealed that “plant stoppages” often occurred. According to their study of 29 province-level administrations, the national overcapacity figure for 2022 was 100.99%, with overcapacity found in 12 administrations.” said environmental researcher Lee Jiacheng from the Wuhu Ecology Centre,

Yuichiro Hattori, researcher and former Solid Waste Management Officer in Japan, pointed out that despite Japan’s overreliance on WtE incineration and compromised recycling efforts, WtE incineration only contributes to about 3% of the national electricity grid. Coupled with the compliance requirement for high environmental standards, WtE has become a less cost-effective industry. In the last century, WtE incinerators have closed down and decreased from 1,965 WtE incinerators in 1975 to 1,028 this year.

Arevalo said that while there are disproportionate resources in terms of finances and power between communities and WtE and plastic industries, grassroots including waste pickers and waste workers are fighting and winning.

In Indonesia, Abdul Ghofar, Campaign Manager for Pollution and Urban Justice at WALHI (The Indonesian Forum for Environment) or Friends of the Earth Indonesia, identified communities affected by the WtE projects in twelve cities in Indonesia. However, there’s a silver lining as three cities have cancelled their projects in response to public demand, community protests, and potential financial loss. 

Banners Protesting the proposed incinerator (Photo by Brex Arevalo/GAIA AP)

Humans at the center: legislation and shared experiences toward a zero-waste future 

“I don’t want Asia Pacific or Malaysia to repeat the mistakes that Europe made in the past,” said Janek Vahk, Zero Pollution Policy Manager of Zero Waste Europe, highlighting the milestone achieved by the EU since 2015 by excluding WtE incineration from financial support and shifting to prioritizing waste minimization.

“Waste pollution is a global problem that requires local solutions.  Zero Waste values environmental and social justice. Placing humans at the center of waste management recognizes their lived experiences and expertise refuting the need to continuously burn waste and valuable resources,” said Grate.

Support Batu Arang residents in their fight against WtE incinerators, sign their online petition here.

NOTES:

  1. The Ministry of Housing and Local Government canceled the first pilot fluidized-bed gasification technology and ash-melting system in Broga, Semenyih, in 2006. Additionally, the Municipal Council of Kajang initiated the first Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) plant in Kampung Pasir Baru, Semenyih, which faced public complaints about environmental pollution and permanently closed in 2015 after nine years. Between 2012 and 2022, the Cabinet has approved seven WtE incinerators tendered by the Ministry in the states of Johor, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Penang and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. The Selangor State Executive Council has approved six (6) WtE incinerators with a daily burning capacity of 9,000 tonnes of MSW and 100 tonnes of scheduled waste in northern Selangor.
  2. Prior to the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 77/161, the European Union withdrew financial support to the construction of WtE incinerators due to CO2 emission problems:
    – In 2017, the European Union called for a ban on investment in WTE and tax changes in the EU removed public support for WTE investment.
    – In 2018, the Sustainable Finance Investment Guide for the European Investment Bank excluded WTE as an acceptable investment.
    – In 2019, the European Green Deal (European Green Deal), established by the European Commission, requires waste reduction (waste reduction), increasing the level of recycling and preserving the right to repair (repair for reuse).
    – In 2020, the EU Taxonomy Regulation 2020 removed incinerators (WTE) from the definition of environmentally sustainable and denied incinerators as a cyclical economic activity. The European Environmental Bureau Climate Action Plan adopts a new circular economy action plan (CEAP) and calls for the end of WTE by 2040.
    – In 2022, the European Parliament included municipal incinerators in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) scope, which sets a price for CO2 emissions from municipal waste incinerators until 2026.

About the Campaign

Canada is among the most wasteful countries in the world and most of the waste could be avoided, recycled or composted. Canada has goals to decrease waste by 30% by 2030 and 50% by 2040, to end plastic waste by 2040, and to reduce landfill methane emissions by 50% by 2030. , Reaching even these goals will require ambitious and immediate actions to reduce waste. 

Waste to Energy (WTE) (sometimes called energy from waste) includes different technologies for disposing waste through a high-temperature process such as mass burn incineration, gasification, and pyrolysis. WTE is portrayed as a “climate-friendly” solution for waste management because of the avoided methane emission from landfilling and energy generation potential, however it emits more greenhouse gases than modern landfills when a full accounting of all GHGs is made. Waste minimization is a far better choice for the climate than either landfills or WTE.

Many communities are approached by incineration/thermal technology companies with proposals to build Waste to Energy (WTE) facilities for waste disposal. Local government staff and elected officials, who review these proposals, may not have comprehensive knowledge about WTE or the expertise to thoroughly evaluate these proposals. 

Recently, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) commissioned a report on Waste to Energy, meant for local governments to use as a guide. This report painted WTE in a favourable light due to a narrow focus. In response to the federal paper, research was conducted for a coalition of environmental non-profit groups using a broader lens to better understand alternatives. 

This webpage is intended to support better actions to tackle waste that reduce the climate, biodiversity, toxics and cost impacts. Further tools and opportunities to take action will be added as they are developed. For more information, please email Aditi Varshneya, GAIA US Canada’s Network Development Coordinator, at aditi@no-burn.org.

Call to Action

Join 40+ organizations from across Canada and sign our petition calling on the Government of Canada, provinces and territories, and local governments to end waste incineration in Canada. 

 

Read the petition, sign on, and see the list of signatory organizations here
Read the press release

Resources

Climate Impacts from Waste to Energy – the Whole Picture

A more fulsome climate analysis of the federal study shows that not only are waste minimization strategies far better for the environment, but cost less as well. Properly managed landfills have lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than the total GHG emissions from WTE, but waste minimization has the most benefits.

Read

Cautionary Tales: Examples from Across Canada 

The federal study also mentioned several examples of thermal treatment of waste. It did not show the many cases where pursuit of these technologies was unsuccessful or resulted in financial, environmental and social issues for the communities. Communities need to understand the risks.

Read

Metro Vancouver – a Case Study 

An analysis of Metro Vancouver’s waste management over the duration of its last solid waste management plan was conducted, looking at waste volumes, costs and GHGs. Results show that a focus on zero waste strategies were successful and cost-effective while incineration was costly with high GHG emissions.

Read

Waste Incineration – What It Is, Why It Is Practiced, Implications and Zero Waste Alternatives

There are many reasons beyond GHGs, cost and effectiveness why WTE is not a solution. These are outlined here, along with an alternative solutions.

Read



“Temperature records that were not meant to be broken have fallen, one after the other, day by day… Meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement would require greenhouse gas emissions to be halved by 2030 and net zero emission to be reached by 2050.” —Inger Andersen, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme

Dire warnings have been issued: the world is facing a climate emergency, and governments around the world are called to “shift into emergency gear;” otherwise, we may face disastrous consequences.

Scientists believe that we still have time to avert this impending catastrophe. But as the years pass, the window to do action is becoming narrow. We must act fast to shift to new, sustainable frameworks and systems. 

But while we must move swiftly, we must do things right. The transition needs to be inclusive. And just. The International Labour Organization (ILO) defines ‘just transition’ as “Greening the economy in a way that is as fair and inclusive as possible to everyone concerned, creating decent work opportunities and leaving no one behind.”

Without a just transition, the sectors already excluded by the current system may be left behind. If that happens, they will become even more vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Their exclusion may result in them losing their livelihoods, and in turn, in their further deprivation and marginalization.

Zooming In on Workers in the Waste Sector

Among the sectors that stand to suffer the most from the twin crisis that is plastic pollution and climate change are the waste workers, waste pickers, and other informal workers in the recycling value chain — the very people who play a crucial role in waste management and climate change mitigation, often with little to no compensation. 

Waste pickers save millions of dollars for their cities and communities and contribute to environmental and human health. Yet, not only are their roles and contributions unrecognized, they are also not included in conversations on the very work that they do, and the very issues affecting them. Their expertise in waste management remains largely untapped and even ignored. And while they are among the segments of society needing social protection and support, they are largely excluded. In many places, they do not have access to healthcare, education, and other basic services.

Through our just transition work, we at GAIA Asia Pacific, aim to ensure that waste workers and waste pickers are not only meaningfully consulted but more importantly, that they become active participants and decision-makers in waste management issues. Waste pickers and waste workers must be at the front and center of conversations and decision-making on waste management issues — their voices heard, their expertise tapped, and their leadership recognized. Only when this happens will policies and programs be truly anchored on realities on the ground. 

“We hope we can be enrolled in some kind of pension scheme and get more support for our medical needs. I worry about my grandchildren. Their father does not support them. What would happen to them when I’m gone and I’m not able to leave them something? So you see, a form of pension would be a big help.” — Asha Baban Zombade, Waste Picker from Pune, India

As we shine the spotlight on the waste workers, waste pickers, and other informal workers in the recycling value chain during the final week of the International Zero Waste Month (IZWM) celebration, we invite you to listen to their stories. May we have a deeper appreciation of their contributions and understanding of how they may be supported so that they can live with dignity as they continue with the work that they find meaningful in that better and just world. 

We also invite you to support them in whatever way you can.

Support Our Waste Workers and Waste Pickers. Below are GAIA members working with waste pickers and waste workers

MOTHER EARTH FOUNDATION (PHILIPPINES)

Nearly four years ago, Mother Earth Foundation (MEF) launched Project Tuloy, an initiative dedicated to aiding waste workers who play a crucial role in waste collection and sanitation services within our Zero Waste communities. During the COVID19 pandemic, they launched Kusina ni Juan, a community kitchen designed to provide nutritious, freshly cooked meals served in reusable containers for waste workers. They also have a long-running scholarship program for children of waste workers. Through the program, they have supported over 200 children, providing them with gadgets for e-learning and additional allowance that enabled them to purchase school supplies.

Donations can be made through Paypal, as well as via bank transfers to our RCBC and BPI accounts (accessible from any bank through online transfers). Kindly forward a copy of your donation receipt to act@motherearthphil.org to ensure proper acknowledgment. Your generosity will make a meaningful impact on the lives of those dedicated to maintaining our communities Zero Waste and sustainable.

Donate here:

PAYPAL

BANK ACCOUNT
Bank: Security Bank

Type of account: Savings

Branch: Congressional Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines

Name of account: FOR LOVE OF MOTHER EARTH INC

Account number: 0-0000-2822-8193

Facebook | Mother Earth Foundation PH | Facebook

CHINTAN CHINTAN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND ACTION GROUP

(NEW DELHI, INDIA)

Chintan reduces waste and consumption, manages solid and electronic waste, and advocates around materials, waste, and consumption. It uses waste as a tool to fight poverty, child labor, gender-based violence, and exclusion and climate change, while creating green livelihoods. Chintan pushes back and combats unsustainable consumption. Its work directly supports the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17.

Help Chintan by supporting #COVIDmekabadi

The United Nations says in these times of COVID, handling waste is an essential service, without which we can all get more ill. Wastepickers do this for us in India. Delhi’s 50,000 wastepickers need our support as they protect us.

DONATE HERE: #COVIDmekabadi | Chintan (chintan-india.org)

HASIRU DALA (BANGALORE, INDIA)

Hasiru Dala, which means Green Force, is a social impact organization that works with waste pickers and other waste workers to ensure a life with dignity.

Donations to support waste pickers

Waste pickers and other informal waste workers are among the most marginalized communities across the country. Despite this, their work of removing waste from the streets to sell to scrap dealers and recyclers makes them unsung and silent environmentalists whose work supports municipal waste management with little to no reward. 

Your donations will go to support our programs, which fall broadly across social security, livelihoods, housing, health and nutrition, advocacy, children’s education and safety.

Support Waste Pickers

KKPKP/SWACH (Pune, India)

A Trade Union of Waste Pickers

KKPKP has advocated for the unclean occupations scholarship program at the state government level. They may be reached at https://kkpkp.org/sample-page/timeline-of-change/

STREE MUKTI SANGHATANA (MUMBAI, INDIA)

Established in 1975, Stree Mukti Sanghatana has been working towards women empowerment for over four decades. The play ‘Mulgi Zali Ho’ (Girl is Born) opened doors for women to interact and share their problems with us. The family counseling centers, in-house monthly publication “Prerak Lalkari”, programs for adolescents, daycare centres, programs for waste pickers, and solid waste management commenced operations to enable sustainable livelihood for women.

Donate

Yaksa Pelestari Bumi Berkelanjutan (YPBB)

War on Waste – Break Free From Plastic (WOW-BFFP) – Negros Oriental

Ecowaste Coalition

Por Soledad Mella, ANARCH. Colabora: Camila Aguilera, GAIA Latin America y Caribe.

(English version follows)

A veces se dice que el trabajo de las y los recicladores es una labor invisible. Sin embargo, es más apropiado decir que es una labor invisibilizada. Las y los recicladores del mundo somos tan visibles como los residuos que se apilan en los vertederos y como los efectos del cambio climático que experimentamos cada vez más seguido, el sistema que no nos reconoce como trabajadores es  lo que nos invisibiliza.

En América Latina, un continente donde la gestión de residuos a menudo desafía las capacidades espaciales y económicas de las ciudades, los recicladores se erigen como pilares fundamentales para la reducción de residuos, y al mismo tiempo contribuir a combatir el cambio climático. 

Las y los recicladores sabemos bien que las mejores estrategias de gestión de residuos son los sistemas de basura cero. Nuestro trabajo no está condicionado a un material en particular o a una mayor generación de residuos, sino todo lo contrario, la reducción en origen de materiales de un solo uso, la recolección diferenciada, y el reciclaje no tóxico, también son objetivos para las agrupaciones de recicladores.

Debido a esto, cuando los recicladores hablamos de transición justa no lo hacemos centrándonos ni en la cantidad de residuos ni en el acceso a un material en particular, sino que hacemos referencia a asuntos concretos relacionados con el reconocimiento, la visibilidad,  la integración, y la generación de oportunidades. 

En este sentido, la recuperación de residuos orgánicos hoy se abre como una gama de oportunidades para las y los recicladores. Una oportunidad que no estábamos viendo en forma transversal, a pesar de que sí tenemos compañeros comenzando a trabajar en el tema. Si bien la necesidad de reducir las emisiones de metano abre puertas, las necesidades para que podamos lograrlo son las mismas que tenemos cuando nos referimos a nuestro trabajo recuperando residuos sólidos domiciliarios, que son: financiamiento, infraestructura, maquinaria, transporte de logística, apoyo de un equipo técnico y administrativo, y capacitación. Con estas necesidades cubiertas, la recuperación de material orgánico puede entregar nuevas oportunidades no solo a recicladores, sino a más mujeres y hombres que pueden encontrar aquí una oportunidad de trabajo.  Por eso cuando se implementan políticas realmente orientadas a la justicia social y a la transición justa, esperamos que éstas garanticen derechos esenciales, entornos de trabajo seguros y saludables y contar con un acceso justo a los residuos. 

La Asociación de Recicladores de Chile, un gremio que agrupa a 5.000 recicladores, representando a un universo de 60.000 mil recicladores en todo el país, con 54 dirigentes regionales, desea embarcarse con mucha fuerza y compromiso en el tratamiento de residuos orgánicos. Primero con aquellos que cuentan con acceso a terreno, y luego con más recicladores cuando empecemos a ver los resultados de las políticas de inclusión y transición justa. Recordemos que nuestros compañeros que se encuentran actualmente trabajando en rellenos sanitarios y vertederos, deben entrar en un proceso de recambio frente a lo que significa el cierre de estos espacios. Esperamos que este proceso de cierre y transformación se traduzca en una oportunidad, en la que se pueda invertir y por qué no, convertir estos rellenos/vertederos en espacios de tratamiento de residuos orgánicos.

Las y los recicladores necesitamos -y queremos- que se generen las oportunidades que nos permitan hacernos cargo de los residuos sólidos domiciliarios y ahora también de los orgánicos en el marco de las leyes que se están implementando en nuestros países. Pero como mencioné anteriormente, las ambiciones de recuperación deben ir de la mano de las ambiciones de los gobiernos locales en cuanto a  inclusión e inversión.

 

Soledad Mella – National Association of Waste Pickers of Chile ANARCH

By Soledad Mella, ANARCH/RED Lacre. Contributor: Camila Aguilera, GAIA Latin America & the Caribbean.

It is sometimes said that the work of waste pickers is invisible. However, it is more appropriate to say that it has been made invisible. The waste pickers of the world are as visible as the waste piling up in landfills and the effects of climate change that we are experiencing more and more often. The system that does not recognize us as workers is what makes us invisible.

In Latin America, a continent where waste management often defies the spatial and economic capacities of cities, waste pickers stand as key pillars for waste reduction, and at the same time contribute to combating climate change.

Waste pickers know well that the best waste management strategies are zero waste systems. Our work is not dependent on a particular material or increased waste generation. On the contrary, the reduction of single-use materials at source, differentiated collection, and non-toxic recycling are also objectives for waste pickers’ groups.

Because of this, when waste pickers talk about just transition, we do not focus on the quantity of waste or access to a particular material, but rather we refer to concrete issues related to recognition, visibility, integration, and the creation of opportunities.

In this sense, the recovery of organic waste now opens up a range of opportunities for waste pickers. This is an opportunity that we were not seeing in a cross-cutting way, even though we do have colleagues starting to work on organics. While the need to reduce methane emissions opens doors, the needs for us to achieve this are the same as those we have when we refer to our work recovering household solid waste, which are: financing, infrastructure, machinery, transport logistics, support from a technical and administrative team, and training. With these needs covered, the recovery of organic material can provide new opportunities not only to waste pickers, but to more women and men who can find a job opportunity here.  So when policies that are truly oriented towards social justice and just transition are implemented, we expect them to guarantee essential rights, safe and healthy working environments and fair access to waste.

The Asociación de Recicladores de Chile (National Association of Waste Pickers of Chile ANARCH), a group of 5,000 waste pickers, representing a universe of 60,000 thousand waste pickers across the country, with 54 regional leaders, wants to embark with great strength and commitment on organic waste management. First with those who have access to land, and then with more waste pickers as we begin to see the results of inclusion and just transition policies. Also let’s remember that our colleagues who are currently working in landfills and dumpsites must enter into a process of readjustment in the face of what the closure of these spaces means. We hope that this process of closure and transformation will translate into an opportunity to invest in and, why not, convert these landfills into spaces for organic waste treatment.

We waste pickers need – and want – opportunities to be created that allow us to take care of household solid waste and now also organic waste within the framework of the laws that are being implemented in our countries. But as I mentioned earlier, recovery ambitions must go hand in hand with local government ambitions for inclusion and investment.

Back to COP28 Resources

The third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on developing a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution (INC3) in Nairobi, Kenya, revealed the “serpent under the innocent flower.”

GAIA and BFFP Africa Members at the INC3 in Nairobi, Kenya.

By Jacob Johnson Attakpah, Project Coordinator at Green Africa Youth Organisation (GAYO) & Merrisa Naidoo, Africa Plastics Campaigner at the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA).

December, 11, 2023

Before becoming a playground for bad-faith negotiators, greased hands and geopolitical tactics, attendees of the INC3 were called to welcome and embrace the spirit of Nairobi, by his excellency William Ruto, INC Executive Secretary Jyothi Mathur-filipp and Executive Director Inger Andersen, since this was the home where we got the mandate for the world’s first plastics treaty. They highlighted the urgency for an ambitious Global Plastics Treaty, recognizing that plastics places our own health at risk, flowing in our bloodstream and accumulating in our organs. They reinforced the mandate of the UNEA Resolution, which is based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic, from polymer to production and disposal. They acknowledged that recycling and waste management practices alone will not be sufficient to address this triple planetary crisis. Africa was called to lead the way with Rwanda and Kenya, who have successfully demonstrated that plastic reduction and innovation is possible through collective action. 

We were urged by the INC chair to optimise the time that we have in Nairobi and engage in substantive discussions that will progress us to a mandate for the first draft of the treaty text by INC4 and pave a clear road map on intersessional work. 

The outcome was far from what well-meaning negotiators and activists anticipated. After the first reading of the Zero Draft, which, in the view of many, was a well-balanced document that captured the full suite of views and positions expressed by countries at the previous 2 INCs and could serve as the basis of the negotiations, a newly formed group of ‘like-minded’ (also called ‘Global Coalition for Plastics Sustainability’) plastic-producing countries were set on challenging the Zero Draft, revealing a deep divide among countries present.

Their mandate was clear, to hold the negotiations hostage under the guise that their positions were not reflected in the Zero Draft. These countries have repeatedly sought to delay progress within the negotiations, pushing a waste management focus and rejecting work on the upstream part of the plastic pollution issue. This is in stark contradiction to the clear, comprehensive, and ambitious mandate established by the world at UNEA 5.2, which aims at covering the entire life cycle of plastic. It must be emphasised that at the outset, countries were presented with a zero draft that offered options from ambitious provisions such as reductions in primary plastic polymer production and bans on toxic chemicals to voluntary and weaker measures. The intent was to provide a framework for negotiation, allowing countries to tailor the treaty to their specific needs. Yet, despite the majority of national governments expressing a desire and eagerness to make meaningful progress before the 2024 deadline, the small group of nations, operating under the vague label of “like-minded countries,” and under the influence of their vested petrochemical interests, chose obstruction over negotiation.

This obstructionist strategy, characterised by complaints and attacks on the negotiation process, including, in some instances, disguised attacks on facilitators of contact groups, hindered the critical task of finalising the first draft of the treaty text. The obstructionist approach not only stalled progress but also raised concerns about the commitment of certain nations to sincerely address the plastic pollution crisis. However, it did not come as a surprise that these countries would once again try to block discussions on substantive matters since the halls of INC3 lurked with the predatory interests of more than 143 fossil fuel and chemical industry lobbyists – a 36% increase from INC2. 

36%

Increase of Fossil Fuel and Chemical Industry Lobbyists Compared 29 May – 2 June 2023, at INC2

Amid the hostility, the African Group of Negotiators and Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS), stood upright and firm against the bullying and bad faith obstructionism, representing the voice of the collective conscience. Their statements remained courageous, notably from nations like  Samoa, Palau, Angola, and Rwanda, who demonstrated unwavering ambition for a robust treaty that covers the entire life cycle of plastics and strongly supported provisions on addressing plastic production, chemicals of concern, protecting human and environmental health, as well as human rights, recognising the importance of Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge, and defining the path for a just transition where the recognition of waste picker’s rights are prioritised. Members of the African Group remain consistent and steadfast in the outcomes of the plastics treaty, upholding their previous decisions and positions that serve to protect the health of the people and the environment. 

Despite the efforts by these nations to salvage the 3rd round of negotiations, a critical point was reached, and the failure to agree on the scope and format for intersessional work signalled a rupture in the process. Under normal circumstances, the standard protocol would call for continued negotiation until a compromise was found. However, the breakdown in trust reached a point where parties were unwilling to engage in further discussions. The high-ambition countries seemed to have reached their limit, while oil-producing nations shamelessly obstructed the process.

(Left) Dorothy Adhiambo Otieno, Marie Kwirine and Sarah Onuoha (Right) at the BFFP Movement March 11 November, 2023. Photo Credit: James Wakibia.

The United States attempted a last-minute manoeuvre to restart the contact group to agree on a mandate for intersessional work, but opposition from Saudi Arabia and Russia blocked any compromise, claiming the matter had been settled and must not be reopened. Delegates, shocked, frustrated, and realising the bad hand they had just been dealt by members of the “like-minded fraternity”, fumed in anguish, recognising an absolutely avoidable waste of the next 5 months between negotiating time until INC4.

Despite the disarray, the week did yield some positive developments. The concept of “Just Transition” gained traction thanks to the advocacy of waste pickers and indigenous peoples. Initially met with suspicion, their demands for recognition, inclusion, and a well-supported transition won over many nations, transforming them into advocates for this cause. Waste pickers are now more than ever being recognised as an essential part of the treaty.

African countries, together with their counterparts from the PSIDS, have become the much-needed moral compass in this process, with Angola (notably) calling for a halt in the delay tactics and getting to work on the treaty. This underscores the narrative that those who are at the receiving end of plastic waste (the global south) have a higher stake in negotiations, and if the treaty process comes to nought, we in the global south will keep being colonised by waste.

Knowing that every passing second is crucial and a failure to deliver a treaty by the end of 2024 will mean respect for human rights and the rights of people to a clean and healthy environment in the Global South particularly Africa, will be postponed, or even worse kicked to the curb. “Will parties take the bold decision of implementing a strong conflict of interest policy and stand up to the few countries who have no intention of negotiating a robust treaty, or will they keep playing into the hands of the “like-minded” group who keep profiting off oil and gas proliferation?”

With a revised bloated Zero Draft where all options and even no options remain on the table as opposed to a first treaty draft text and with no mandate for intersessional work, we went from a balance to a state of entropy which will make the next round of negotiations at INC4 in Canada, challenging for a milder use of the word.  We can expect to see informal intersessional work cropping up that is predicted to be exclusionary and with potentially under-handed mandates. 

Expert Panelists at the Global South Media Briefing, 14 November, 2023.

INC 4 will prove if member states will uphold the obligations to their citizens and pursue a treaty that prioritises human rights.

In closing, It is also important to acknowledge members’ advocacy efforts even well before INC3 in the form of: Ministerial briefings, powerful interventions at INC3, calls to action by the youth, defending the rights of the Global South to tackle the plastic crisis and raising awareness about the challenges confronted by waste pickers to underscore the importance of a just transition as part of the plastics treaty. 

While the battle is far from over, GAIA Africa members will continue to hold the leaders of Africa to a strong and ambitious plastics treaty by demanding: 

  • Global plastic production reduction that starts with the measures that can deliver a phasedown of plastic production to sustainable levels compatible with human health, human rights and the environment through the development of global, legally binding, production freeze and phasedown targets by a specific point in time. 
  • Identification and regulation of toxic and hazardous chemicals and monomers/oligomers/polymers of concern.
  • Guaranteed inclusion, integration, just transition and accessibility of waste pickers and frontline communities into national waste management policies and the Global Plastics Treaty process. 
  • Harmonised standards and guidelines for environmentally sound plastic waste management.
  • End of waste colonialism and dumping on the African continent.
  • Strengthened standards and guidelines for EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) that are mandatory, integrates waste pickers and other waste workers and respects the waste hierarchy by prioritising reuse over recycling.
  • Robust financial mechanism to support the effective Implementation of the treaty.
  • Support for the Institution of a Dedicated Global Scientific body for the treaty. 
  • Prohibition of dangerous practices such as open burning, incineration, firing in coal-fired power plants and other waste-to-energy processes, co-processing in cement kilns, and chemical recycling to protect human health and the environment.

For more on these demands you can read further here.

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