Municipal Solid Waste Management: Involving Micro- and Small Enterprises; Guidelines for Municipal Managers

IN MANY CITIES in low-income countries, the private sector is becoming increasingly involved in the mounting problem of solid waste management. This book considers one area of private sector involvement, namely the smallest operations, known as “microenterprises” and “small enterprises” (MSEs). The kinds of services delivered by these include primary collection, especially in informal settlements, recycling, street sweeping and park cleaning. The current trend is towards the partnership of larger and smaller private enterprises with municipalities, but the authors point out that such integrated arrangements may call for major changes in attitude on the part of many local officials.

This book is targeted at municipal managers in low- and middle-income countries, and provides general guidelines which can be adapted to the specific circumstances within a particular municipality. First, it discusses the range of factors that municipal officials might need to consider before deciding to make use of the private sector – and of micro and small enterprises, in particular – for their waste management. It describes different kinds of micro and small enterprises and outlines the tasks for which they are best suited and the kinds of problems that might arise. The following sections cover administrative, financial and contractual concerns, and discuss the steps necessary to build successful coordination between government and small enterprises. The book concludes with a number informative annexes, which include technical information, different models for micro and small enterprise involvement, sample contracts and successful case studies.