RAED
Projects |
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Regional Community Solid Waste
Management Program
(RCSWMP) |
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Context
Changes all
over the world - economic, ecological, and political, -
have combined to create a significant transformation in
the way we view and think about the management of global
problems. As concern for the environment reaches a new
high world wide, not only do we have to focus on the
environmental problems, but also on the solutions. The
present global environmental crisis is evidence of our
failure to educate people about the importance of the
world we live in and the quality of human life.
Achieving sustainable development and environmental
protection are both priority issues that affect economic
growth and the well-being of peoples throughout the
world.
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Environmental
destruction has resulted principally from the
unsustainable patterns of production and consumption
that accompany industrialization. In view of the already
existent and persisting poverty in developing countries,
continued environmental deterioration is of particular
concern and needs to be addressed through various
channels and means. A dual approach, combining poverty
alleviation with changes in lifestyles of all citizens,
is essential for sustainable development. Addressing
these twin problems of non-sustainable consumption and
debilitating poverty involves efforts by all sectors of
society. Particularly in a country like Egypt,
sustainable development needs to start with basic
knowledge of existing natural resources and the
environmental state of the area, and continue with
efforts, both by the public to protect the environment,
and by the government to promulgate and enforce
environmental legislation
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Thus this
proposal seeks to implement a pilot program in four
urban areas in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia. The
problem of Solid Waste Management (garbage) has become
one of biggest global problem. Many million people, are
suffering from the problems created by the accumulation
of tons of unused wastes. Daily, tons of solid wastes
are being collected and dumped in areas without
recycling
This has led cleaning
authorities to continue the search for new dumping sites
far from the city, which in turn leads to more pressure
on the means of transportation. Thus, solid wastes are
not only a problem in their collection, but also a
problem in their disposal.
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For example Egypt is one of the countries
that produces huge amounts of solid wastes. About 11.8
million tons of garbage are produced annually in Egypt,
which means that every square kilometer of residential
area produces 198 tons per year. This, is considered the
highest rate world wide.
However, from this huge amounts
of solid wastes, households wastes are considered one of
the most rich garbage in the world. has is because it
contains large percentages of organic
materials
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which can be a
source of income generation. From studies and
research in this issue, it was found that an
income of nearly 600 million LE (about 196 million
US dollars) could be generated annually from the
garbage of Egypt. |
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Therefore, as a result of the
richness of the solid wastes produced, The Arab Network for
Environment and Development (RAED), studied the feasibility of
the Regional Community Solid Waste Management Program (RCSWMP)
that could be used as a source of income generation for the
main stakeholders (youth, traders of recyclable products) .
Apart from the economic benefits of such a project, we also
found that the health returns for the residents of the areas
will be the prevention of more than 42 diseases transmitted by
the wastes such as Ophthalmic and Skin diseases, Cancer,
Tuberculosis ...etc.
Seeking to tap into the
communities’ potential to learn, explore and produce, the
program will address the problem of solid waste management in
four particular locales, provide new employment opportunities
for the inhabitants of these areas, and implement a
broad-based, community-driven effort that will be replicated
across a wide platform of areas and environmental
problems.
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Moreover, this project comes
within RAED’s objective to coordinate between regional
community organizations in the exchange of skills, experiences
and information. In addition, to create new grassroots
activities to be implemented by RAED NGOs members. RAED has
invited active NGOs with experience in solid waste management
in the target countries Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia to
be partners in the project implementation, each in his country
area. This coordination will help strengthening the links
between NGOs in the region and mostly will help exchange of
skills, experiences and information.
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RAED has carefully
planed for the coordination between these NGOs in the
different countries, which in case carefully implemented
will lead to a successful regional project, that could
be regarded as a model to be replicated in other areas
in the region |
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In addition, the partnership
process between the participating NGOs in the region has
extended to include an EU partner, thus promoting the
North/South cooperation. An international environmental
consultancy has been added to the consortium in order to
transfer existing knowledge and expertise on EU level towards
participating NGOs.
Also, RCSWMP will seize the
opportunity of existence of some projects concerning about the
Solid Waste Management in the region - such as; in Egypt there
are two ongoing projects funded by the EC and UNDP - to put
hands together for the sake of complementarily work of the
three project. RAED will initiate developing through this
partnership an environmental action plan for the solid waste
management in Egypt as it is the most serious problem for the
time being harming the environment.
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