by RedacciónHow do we add value and usability to solid waste?
In El Salvador 3,676 tons of solid waste are generated per day, of which only 5% is disposed of for recycling, either recovered by workers in the collection service or by separation from the general population, and 82% is disposed towards landfills.
The comprehensive management of solid waste in El Salvador has been changing significantly compared to other countries in the Central American region, all as a result of the efforts to implement comprehensive policies (La Economía, La Educación Ambiental, Política Social) by the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARN), as the governing body of environmental regulations in the country that promote and promote good practices in the population, the intermediate treatment of solid waste, in order to reduce the levels of pollution in the environment that these generate when not being treated properly.
Despite the efforts made jointly with the country's municipalities, which provide household waste collection services and the promotion of recycling programs in homes and schools in urban areas, the generation of high volumes of waste continues , both at the household and municipal level, which also generates high costs.
Solid waste management can be defined as a discipline associated with the control of the production, storage, collection, transfer and transportation, processing and disposal of solid waste in a way that is in accordance with the best principles of public health, economics, engineering, conservation, aesthetics and other environmental considerations, and which is also sensitive to public attitudes.
Good solid waste management is everyone's responsibility. However, due to the laws established in each country, once solid waste is discarded by the generator, it becomes the responsibility of local governments. The main responsibility of the municipalities is to organize and manage the public cleaning system, including the provision of infrastructure for the collection service and final disposal of solid waste.
A high percentage of municipal budgets is dedicated to urban cleaning. Despite this responsibility, citizens often lack knowledge of the principles and techniques of solid waste management, which prevents them from making the right decisions to develop better sanitation systems.
