Solid Waste Management Value Chain Analysis

Urban areas, including Metro Manila, generate a substantial amount of waste, with commercial and industrial waste making up nearly one-third of the total. The National Solid Waste Status Report (2008-2014) highlights the need for effective solid waste management (SWM) practices in the country. The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, or Republic Act 9003, was enacted to address the growing waste management concerns in the Philippines. The law mandates the implementation of a waste management system that includes segregation, collection, transportation, and disposal of waste. However, despite the existence of this law, the country continues to face significant challenges in managing its waste. The Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Philippines is implementing the Strengthening Urban Communities' Capacity to Endure Severe Shocks (SUCCESS) project, a 2-year, $5 million disaster risk reduction project in 22 barangays of Metro Manila. The project aims to improve the local capacity to address community risks to flooding by identifying sustainable livelihoods for the urban poor. The project will focus on market-based solid waste management (SWM) as a means of reducing solid waste accumulation in barangays and lowering flood risks. A comprehensive value chain analysis of SWM chains will be conducted to identify the most relevant livelihood opportunities and market entry points. The analysis will include interviews with market actors, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and environmental science professors from local universities. The Minimal Economic Recovery Standards (MERS) framework will be used to guide the assessment, analysis, and design of proposed SWM livelihoods support. The preliminary rapid assessment results and analysis using MERS have identified junk shop operation and garbage collection as the two most promising avenues for small enterprise development under Project SUCCESS. These choices aim to add value to the service chain and waste material value chain. The project will implement market-based solutions, provide targeted skills development, and implement co-investment strategies across sectors to support the development of sustainable livelihoods for the urban poor. The SUCCESS project will target 120 vulnerable households from the target group for market-based SWM, with characteristics of lower income, lower education, and a preference for women. The secondary target group may include SWM upstream actors, such as junk shop operators. The project will conduct performance monitoring and develop livelihood opportunities for selected beneficiaries, with a focus on sustainability and exit planning. The project's approach to SWM value chain analysis will involve the identification of value chain opportunities and constraints, the development of a SWM value chain for Project SUCCESS, and the strengthening of the SWM value chain through recommendations and pilot demonstration projects in selected barangays. The project will also conduct awareness raising in target barangays, support local government units (LGUs) and other government agencies, and provide training on value chain and marketability in recyclables. The SUCCESS project aims to improve the livelihood capacity of vulnerable households and reduce solid waste accumulation in barangays, thereby lowering flood risks. The project's focus on market-based SWM and sustainable livelihoods development will contribute to the country's efforts to address its waste management challenges and promote disaster risk reduction.