210 CHRISTINE FUREDY
The most important development in the institutional context to support sustainable
reuse of organic wastes would be a move towards strategic planning in solid waste
management, so that the management system would take account of negative and
positive environmental externalities. If compost production was recognised as
diverting wastes from disposal and improving soils, and some of the financial savings
of composting and other safe uses of organic wastes were used to improve and
promote these activities, then these forms of waste processing would become more
feasible for cities (Dulac, 2001). Cities that are implementing door-to-door waste
collection for residences have the option of integrating into their collection systems
door-step sorting to recover organics, and, later, separation at source.
Two recent developments mentioned above suggest that changes are pending in the
institutional context, at least in Asia. The first is the Indian Ministry of Environment
and Forests’ adoption of solid waste management rules for large cities that include
requirements for source separation and composting of organic wastes (India, 2000).
The second is the possibility of getting substantial funds from the GEF for initiating
composting of urban wastes. These grants are to facilitate cross-sector support for
composting. In all probability some African countries will apply for such funding
soon.
9.7. CONCLUSION
Sustainable development requires the reduction of waste loading on local and global
‘sinks’ (Hardoy et al., 2001: 354). Activities that enhance productivity and employ-
ment come under the rubric of sustainable development, as long as they do not
endanger the environment and hence the health of people and animals. The safe reuse
of organic wastes from cities is thus a cornerstone of sustainable development.
Solid waste management would be greatly helped if organic wastes could be treated
and reused effectively. The unresolved issues in implementing these goals arise
largely from safety, practicality, and equity in meeting the needs of the different social
entities that are stakeholders in organic waste reuse.
As noted above, there are many obstacles to truly safe reuse of organics from multiple
sources in cities. The application of high standards to processes and products without
considerable institutional support would result in the reduction of reuse rather than its
increase. Little consideration has been given, as yet, to striking a balance in the tension
between waste reduction and public health.
Markets clearly exist in large Asian and African cities for uncontaminated organics.
In Asia, private and informal actors capture large quantities of these organics, just as
the recyclable inorganics are dealt with by waste trading and recycling enterprises.
The problematic organics for municipal solid waste departments are those that are