Community Waste Management Empowerment Project
The Sumampan Community Dump and Waste Management Project
About the dump site
On the main road leading to the Taman Petanu location there used to be an informal, unregulated dumpsite, which was operating for over 10 years. Dump sites such as this a very common in Bali. Many much bigger than this one. At the time when Taman Petanu started, the dump site was still actively being used... but read on for a wonderful story of how inspired communities can truly change circumstances when they are ready to do so :) ...............
The Alam Santi team worked with local community representatives to conduct a preliminary assessment of the area and the approximately 220m x 15m informal dump site was started in 1999, as far as the local community was concerned, the dumping activities were seen as a way of land filling a ravine, so that a road could be built to access currently inaccessible areas in the community. Trucks, sometimes up to 12 trucks per day, came in and out of the area bringing loads of solid wastes from several villages including Ubud, Peliatan and the Sukawati market dumping the loads there at the illagal dump site.
Taman Petanu Eco Neighborhood representatives spend many months working with local leadership and community representatives to develop and implement a range of solutions for this major community challenge....
Update about the current activities on the ground
Coinciding with the launch of the Desa Kemenuh Cultural Tourism Program in October 2011, Kemenuh leadership announced the official stop all dumping to dumpsite in Banjar Sumampan. Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!
Considering the more than 10 year history of illegal dumping in the area, this decision to stop allowing outside waste to be deposited in the landfill marked a significant and a positive move to a more sustainable future for the community! Alam Santi and the Taman Petanu Eco-Neighborhood are very happy to support this outstanding effort to create a sustainable waste management system for Desa Kemenuh.
By being actively involved in the development of the waste management system for the village, we have been able to:
Meet on a regular basis with the Head of Waste Management, who is also the head of our Banjar, Pak Ketut. We are getting a deeper understanding of his commitment and vision for the long term community waste management program. As the new program unfolds we will continue to support Pak Ketut with assistance in developing solid and sustainable business planning and marketing for the new community waste management initiative.
Taman Petanu members and other local contributors have donated resources to help equip the community waste pick-up servicemen with proper uniforms and hygienic clothing such as hats, shirts, pants, gloves and boots. Special heartfelt thanks to Bu Soma!!!!!!! :)
Rehabilitate a section of the dumpsite by setting up a living fence, landscaped areas, and educational signage in order to prevent any further dumping and to beautify the area.
Organize and conduct educational presentations and trainings at community PKK (women's' association) meetings to socialize the Waste Management Program to households and businesses, starting first with 3 banjars nearest to the recently shut down dumpsite.
Please see the list below of the areas where we have done the educational presentations.
Desa Kemenuh with the Arisan PKK Kemenuh
Banjar Batu Sepih with the Sangkep (Bapak-bapak)
Banjar Batu Sepih with the Arisan PKK
Banjar Medahan with the Arisan PKK
Banjar Sumampan with the Arisan PKK
Here's some photos of the dumpsite rehabilitation process that was conducted earlier this year and educational activities:
The local enterprise for ongoing community-based waste management in the area
To ensure that efforts to rehabilitate the area are sustainable, an ongoing plan for community waste management is also needed.
The Kemenuh community has already successfully applied for and received a government grant to buy a small pick up truck that is being used to collect wastes from surrounding homes. The initiative has just recently begun and the task at hand seems somewhat overwhelming. Public education and socialization of the importance of the waste collection (and separation) is much needed.
Ideas currently under consideration by the community about this include:
Establishing a strategy for a sustainable income stream to cover the costs of transportation and manning of the pick up service for waste pick up from households and local businesses and delivery of salable wastes to buyers, and delivery of unsalable wastes to local formal landfills and / or recycling plants.
Administrative staff support and capacity building for the collection service is also needed (field manager and admin person)
Kemenuh's households, businesses and schools need waste collection / separation bins and household composting units
Public education and awareness about the importance of, a proper techniques for localized wate management (see below)
If you feel you can help with any of the above items with donations or donations-in-kind, please get in contact.
Public education and local advocacy about the importance of sound waste management
Working in cooperation with the local community and other supporters and stakeholders, the Taman Petanu Residents hope to be able to support the realization of local initiatives for:
Providing public outreach and school activities about waste management to increase community ownership of the issues
Local education & outreach to encourage waste separation and composting at the household level
Supporting community planning and development of PERDES or PERDUS or AWIG AWIG to regulate the system
Clearly documenting the background problem and the evolving community based solutions, as the process unfolds as an example of how communities can address the challenging issues related to proper waste management in Bali, which could be used for activities socialization to other communities with similar challenges (which is a majority of the communities on Bali)
How Taman Petanu Eco Neighborhood is supporting this program
As future residents and members of the Kemenuh community, the Taman Petanu members are very enthusiastic about supporting this excellent community initiative in a way that supports community-lead solutions that will last, and are in alignment with Kemenuh's objectives of becoming a modle of good development on Bali.To date IDR 35,000,000- (thirty five million rupiah) has already been donated to the program by the previous land owner of the Taman Petanu location and further support from the Taman Petanu Community outreach fund, which has been collected from all of the members of Taman Petanu and will continue on an annual basis. Members of the Taman Petanu HEART Group have offered to support children's english lessons and fun, educational activities that are conducted throughout the year via our Living Classroom program. Aside from this the Taman Petanu group is committed to support the initiative as hands-on volunteers and researchers to seek solutions to the challenges involved. Decisions about the Taman Petanu Group's involvements and community outreach activities are shared and discussed at the Taman Petanu Member's gatherings and regular progress on the program's activities are posted here for those who are interested.
If you are interested in helping with the implementation of this project please feel free to contact us for more information.