At a time garbage collection in Kathmandu Valley is disrupted time and again owing to frequent bandhs and disruptions, home management of waste has emerged as an attractive solution. According to environment experts, generation of solid waste can be reduced by as much as 60 per cent if households can be taught to manage waste on their own. Besides helping keep their households and immediate environment clean, home waste treatment can also be an income source as the compost thus produced can be sold in the market.

Households contribute the bulk of (248 of the 337 tonnes) solid waste produced in the Valley every day. Hence it makes a lot of sense to train residents to manage their household waste, particularly since the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is struggling to collect and dispose of waste with scant resources. Moreover, home waste management will also remove the need for additional and bigger dumping sites, which has been another perennial headache of KMC. Hence, these mini waste treatment plants offer a win-win solution to all. While people will not have to rely on the ill-functioning waste disposal mechanism currently in place (in addition to earning a few extra bucks for their effort), KMC and other private bodies will also feel relieved with the easing of the huge burden on their shoulders. Indeed, as of now, home waste management might be the only option to Kathmandu’s waste woes.