The Asian Development Bank (ADB) implemented a regional technical assistance, TA 8566: Mainstreaming Integrated Solid Waste Management in Asia, to conduct an assessment of solid waste management practices in five case study cities in Asia and to provide recommendations and best practices that can guide municipalities, ADB project officers and others on how to improve proper waste management and achieve a clean, livable city.

An essential component of the TA is preparing an integrated solid waste management (ISWM) plan for the five cities. The ISWM Plan is a document that causes city staff and advisors to consider waste management from cradle to grave, review current activities, and look into the future for alternatives and opportunities to improve the system overall.

This ISWM Plan thoroughly examines the context of Quezon City, Philippines, one of the five cities under this TA. The city is particularly advanced in terms of overall solid waste management planning and implementation, such as having privatized its collection activities and being active in the information, education and communication front. Quezon City also has an existing solid waste management plan, which was prepared in accordance with the requirements of the national environment agency. As a result, one of the main results from this ISWM Plan is to look into a waste-to-energy facility that can accommodate about a capacity between 1,000 to 1,700 tons per day. This could be the largest public-private partnership (PPP) contract to be undertaken by a Philippine municipality, and as such needs to be done meticulously and with the strictest accordance to legislative requirements. More details on this are in the plan.