Composting as a Municipal Solid Waste Management Strategy: Lessons Learned from Cajicá, Colombia

Abstract

Municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in developing countries usually contains a high percentage of organic material. When not properly managed, organic waste is known for creating many environmental issues. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, soil and water contamination, and air pollution are a few examples. On the other hand, proper and sustainable management of organic waste can not only bring economic gains but also reduce the waste volume that is sent for final disposal. Composting is one such recovery method, in which the end product – compost – eventually helps the agricultural industry, and other sectors, making the process an excellent example of nexus thinking in integrated management of environmental resources. The aim of this chapter is to discuss how Cajicá, a small city in Colombia, approached this issue in a methodical way to eventually became one of the leading organic waste composting examples in the whole world, as recognised by the United Nations Environment Programme in 2017. Cajicá launched a source separation and composting initiative called Green Containers Program (GCP) in 2008, based on a successful pilot project conducted in 2005. The organic waste separated at source collected from households, commercial entities, schools, and universities are brought to a privately operated composting plant chosen by the city to produce compost. The compost plant sells compost to the agricultural sector. The participants in the GCP could also receive a bag of compost every 2 months as a token of appreciation. The Cajicá case presents us with many lessons of good practice, not only in the sustainable management of waste but also in stakeholder engagement. It specifically shows how stakeholders should be brought together for long-lasting collaboration and the benefits to society. Finding the correct business model for the project, efforts made in educating the future generation, and technology adaptation to local conditions are also seen as positive experiences that others can learn from in the case of Cajicá’s GCP. Some of the concerns and potential threats observed include the high dependency GCP has on two institutions: the programme financially depends completely on the municipality, and the composting operation depends completely on one private facility. GCP will benefit from having contingency plans to reduce the risk of having these high dependencies.