Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan: Sorsogon City

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 Sorsogon, Philippines, one of the five cities under this TA. Based on the study, the city has some innovative waste management interventions, such as barangay or community-level materials recovery facilities that incorporate composting. The city, however, has a poorly operated dumpsite. The main project resulting from this plan will be to assess the possible privatization of the landfill operation. More details on this are in the plan.