Tackling Plastics muddle through rural waste management system

Over the ten years, the consumption pattern has gradually increased in Myanmar, especially in the rural area. The number of plastic waste tally add up along with the changes in consumption. There are no regulations or formal waste collection in the rural part of Myanmar.
Thant Myanmar experienced waste specialist, set up a rural waste management system in Nyaung Chaung village, Rakhine state as part of Prevent Plastics project activity under waste management pillar.
System set-up begins with observing and forming a village-level waste management committee. Awareness-raising training feature as an essential motivation booster for the youth in the village on onboarding the journey toward founding the waste management system in the rural area. The Thant Myanmar team managed and chose the final set-up, disposal method, and action planning collectively with the newly found waste management committee. Implementation took fifteen days from 16th October 2021 to 31st October 2021, and post-implementation reviews/updates are monitored via the Facebook public group.
During the visit, the Thant Myanmar team constructed an incinerator and trained on organic waste treatment to the locals.
Nyaung Chaung set up a waste collection system after building a committee that oversees the waste management in the village. Waste is fully segregated, and only non-organic non-sellable waste is dumped and incinerated, creating a very efficient system where waste can be collected every week using one 3-wheeler truck for all households (160 Households).
Although we have challenges arranging a three-wheel to pick up the trash, our motivation continues the waste collection. The system does help our village to manage our waste in sustainable manners. We take pride in the accomplishment and our journey toward sustainable waste management. – Naing A Khant, Public Relation Representative from Nyaung Chaung Village
Based on the implementation at Nyaung Chaung Thant, Myanmar will develop an e-learning guide on rural waste management as part of Prevent Plastics project.
Stay tuned for future activity on rural waste management.