Wednesday, December 14th, 2005
Smelly Streets? No More
Kitakyushu-city Tackles Solid Waste in Asia with TDLC
If you've ever gone for a walk in a hot, bustling Asian city, you'll appreciate what a crucial issue solid waste management is for its inhabitants. Kitakyushu-city, situated in southern Japan and known for its efforts to promote environmental cooperation, has embarked on a crusade to tackle garbage in Asia by transferring composting expertise to the region.
A community member from Surabaya demonstrates the composting procedure
Instead of the conventional method, where experts from Japan would travel to train local leaders, the GDLN has proved particularly effective in this endeavor, as distance seminars allow participants from all sectors - government, educational institutions, NGOs and community members - to interact directly with each other. "This helps to foster a cooperative environment which is essential for any local waste management project to succeed" say Kitakyushu officials.
"Where can you get the microorganisms to start composting?" "How much time does it take, and isn't there a risk of diseases?" The International Distance Seminar on Transferring Composting Technology, held on December 14, 2005, connected over 80 participants in Tokyo, Kitakyushu, Jakarta and Bangkok. Organized by Kitakyushu and the Tokyo Development Learning Center, a lively discussion followed presentations from NGO and community members in Kitakyushu as well as Surabaya, Indonesia. Members brought in the actual containers and materials used to demonstrate the composting process.
Kitakyushu, an industrial city notorious for its serious pollution problems, has successfully turned around its reputation by adopting eco-friendly policies. It has won international recognition including the UN's Global 500 Award for its efforts to reach out across borders to share its pollution control technology and experience. Composting is one initiative which has taken root in the city, blossoming into community projects complete with Flower Festivals to encourage cultivation with locally produced compost.
Working to network with Asian cities, Kitakyushu first brought its composting know-how to Surabaya, adapting methods to suit local conditions. With over 1200 households participating to date, the program has proved a huge success, owing largely to composting methods recommended by Kitakyushu which provided a safe, inexpensive and effective way to manage solid waste without unpleasant odors or disease.
In light of Surabaya's success, Bangkok, where kitchen refuse accounts for 50% of all waste, requested help from Kitakyushu - and with advice from the TDLC, which has a partnership agreement with Kitakyushu, the seminar was organized to introduce the idea to Bangkok. As a result of the session, not only Bangkok, but other Indonesian cities have expressed a specific interest in starting their own composting project. Strongly motivated, one community leader from western Jakarta bought a composting container immediately after the seminar to test it in his community. The TDLC and Kitakyushu hope to produce a learning program based on the seminar for wider distribution.
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