Implement a solid waste management system prioritizing actions along the waste management hierarchy (Fig. 4.1) (1, 4).
Environment, waste
National, community
Other management and control, regulation
UEV.TB.ZZ
Planning for waste collection and disposal
services, systems and policies
Develop or update policies and actions across relevant sectors that reduce harmful exposure to all types of solid waste, particularly for children (6).
Environment, industry, waste, health
National
Regulation
UEV.WJ.ZZ
Policy change concerning waste collection and
disposal services, systems and policies
Implement international agreements such as the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (7), the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (8), the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (9) and the Minamata Convention on Mercury (10).
Environment, health
National
Regulation
UEV.WI.ZZ
Restrictions through laws or standards concerning
waste collection and disposal services, systems and policies
Eradicate child labour within all waste management (4).
This is especially relevant for the management of hazardous waste, including
management of e-waste.
Labour, environment
National, community
Regulation
UER.WI.ZZ&XEV
Restrictions through laws or standards relating to labour and employment services, systems and policies
Waste collection and disposal services, systems and policies
Promote screening and (bio)monitoring of harmful waste exposure in target populations accompanied with environmental monitoring (e.g. of water, soil, air) (4).
Environment, health
National, community, health care
Universal health coverage
Assessment and surveillance
UEV.AA.ZZ
Assessment of waste collection and disposal services, systems and policies
UEV.VC.ZZ
Public health surveillance concerning waste collection and disposal services, systems and policies
Restrict and discourage open dumping of waste (1).
Waste that cannot be reused, recycled or recovered should be treated in an
appropriate waste treatment
facility or be disposed of in regulated sanitary landfills that have measures
to avoid environmental contamination.
Environment
National, community
Regulation
UEV.WI.ZZ&UED
Restrictions through laws or standards on waste collection and disposal services, systems and policies
Open space planning services, systems and policies
Clean up and remediate contaminated sites or hot spots (4).
Environment
National, community
Other management and control
UGS.VL.ZZ
Environmental remediation of wastes and scraps
Phase out single-use plastics progressively (11).
Examples include bans and taxes on plastic bags and Styrofoam products.
Environment
National, community
Regulation, taxes and subsidies
UGM.WF.ZZ
Restrictions on the consumption or use of rubber and plastic product
UGM.WF.QF
Economic measures to restrict consumption or use of rubber and plastic products
Note: Guidance particularly concerning e-waste is also relevant for prevention of hazardous exposure to e-waste, which is also discussed in section 5.2 Chemical safety.
Phase out the use of specific toxic chemicals from electrical and electronic equipment (4, 12).
Industry, environment, health
National
Regulation
UGL.WF.ZZ&UAF
Restrictions on the consumption or use of chemicals and chemical products
Products and technology for communication
Identify and address illegal transboundary movement of electrical and electronic equipment and e-waste (12).
Industry, environment, health
National
Regulation
UGS.WE.ZZ&UAF
Restrictions on production or importation of wastes or scraps
Products and technology for communication
Identify e-waste streams and formalize and regulate waste management and recycling to ensure safe treatment of e-waste (4, 12).
This may require the development of local and/or regional recycling facilities.
Environment waste, health
National
Assessment and surveillance, regulation, infrastructure, technology and built environment
UGS.AA.ZZ&UAF
Assessment of wastes or scraps
Products and technology
for communication
UGS.WI.ZZ&UAF
Restrictions through laws or standards on wastes or scraps
Products and technology for communication
Implement regulations to prevent discharge of toxic chemicals (12).
Environment, industry, health
National
Regulation
UGL.WI.QD&UGS
Restrictions through enactment of laws or standards on chemicals and chemical products
Implement standards, actions and programmes in e-waste toxicant exposures:
· reduce and reuse waste policies
· “take back” programmes
· design maximized for durability, reparability and reusability (4, 12).
Environment
National, community
Regulation, other management and control
UGL.WI.QD&UGS
Restrictions through enactment of laws or standards on chemicals and chemical products
Wastes and scraps
Ensure sufficient health sector capacity for engaging in harmful waste exposure reduction (6).
Health
Health care
Universal health coverage
Information, education and communication
UEP.VA.ZZ&UGS
Capacity building interventions in health services, systems and policies
Wastes and scrap
UEP.PM.ZZ&UGS
Education in health services, systems and policies
Wastes and scraps
Train workers in formal and informal waste-settings on good practices in waste management (4).
Waste, environment
Workplace
Information, education and communication
VED.PH.ZZ&UGS
Training to influence waste collection and disposal services, systems and policies
Wastes and scraps
Raise awareness and communicate on behaviour change among consumers and health impacts from harmful waste exposure, especially in children (6).
Health, environment
Community,
national
Universal health coverage
Information, education and communication
VED.VB.ZZ&UGS
Awareness raising to influence hygiene behaviours
Wastes and scraps
VED.PM.ZZ&UGS
Education to influence hygiene practices
Wastes and scraps
Implement a campaign to mobilize people to use alternatives to plastic bags (11).
Environment
Community, national
Information, education and communication
UGM.VB.ZZ
Awareness raising on the consumption or use of rubber and plastic products
· World Bank 2020: Solid Waste Management (MOOC) (1)
This is a massive open online course (MOOC) on solid waste management. World Bank 2020: Solid Waste Management Knowledge Silo Breaker (KSB) (13) This is a community of practice aiming to achieve knowledge sharing of solid waste challenges and innovations between community members of all affiliations
· WHO 2018: The paediatric environmental history: a tool for health-care providers (14)
A series of basic, concise questions that enables health professionals to identify children’s potential exposure to environmental factors and special vulnerabilities.
· UNEP 2018: Single-use plastics: a roadmap for sustainability (11)
· UNEP 2015: Global waste management outlook (15)
· UNEP/Institute for Global Environmental Studies 2020: Waste management during the COVID-19 pandemic: from response to recovery (16)
· Fact sheets on topics such as waste management, green jobs, resource efficiency among others, are also available from UNEP (17).
· United Nations University/UNITAR/ International Telecommunication Union/International Solid Waste Association 2020: Global e-waste monitor (3) This report provides comprehensive insight to address the global e-waste challenge.
· WHO 2019: Electrical/electronic waste and children’s health. In: Training modules and instructions for health care providers. Children’s health and the environment (4).