One to Watch organized a roundtable with the representatives from the waste management sector in Kathmandu Valley to uncover the bottlenecks and challenges of private sector companies working in waste management and to use the insights gained in designing interventions for USAID Clean Air.

The roundtable followed a rich discussion among the stakeholders on
a) the overall solid waste generation and management landscape in Kathmandu Valley,
b) private sector involvement in the solid waste management,
c) Support from local government and communities to these companies,
d) public-private partnership to solve waste related issues in Kathmandu Valley, and
e) measures taken by these companies to promote waste segregation and control open waste burning. 

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The insights from the activity are being incorporated to design the intervention and policy recommendations to the local government.

Background:

Air quality in Nepal is a public health crisis, particularly in Kathmandu Valley. WHO data indicate that the annual mean concentration of particulate matter in Kathmandu is five times higher than WHO’s health guidelines. Air pollution sources, primarily driven by transport and vehicle emissions, waste burning, road and construction dust, brick kilns, and crop clearing, are known and measurable.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Clean Air was launched in November 2021 with the objective of mitigating air pollution in the Kathmandu valley for improved health and education outcomes. USAID Clean Air is being implemented by a consortium led by FHI 360 with four consortium partners — Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Bangkok, Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) and One to Watch (OTW) — in close collaboration with the Government of Nepal and other key government, non-government and private sector stakeholders.

The USAID Business Accelerator for Clean Air will provide customized business development services, seed grant and access to a wider network of partners and stakeholders to companies to companies working to mitigate air pollution in the Kathmandu valley.

APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN!