Rapid Assessment for Resilient Recovery and ... - GFDRR

of waste going to the waste disposal facilities, sorting facilities should be
established to segregate the waste streams closest to the source thus maximizing
potential for reuse and recycling, as around 40 percent of the total municipal
waste is comprised of recyclable materials. 135 This is aimed at municipal authorities.
Finally, there will be a need for guidance on creation of additional landfill capacity.
In most countries, creation of landfills is a socially sensitive issue due to the
NIMBY (not in my back yard) problem, and if a conventional approach to
creating landfill capacity is taken it will be years before additional capacity will be
available, and in the meantime, the environmental damage would have already
been incurred. Creative solutions that allow for the maximizing of recycling of
waste streams, optimization of existing void space, fast tracking approval for
additional space, and outsourcing to industrial solid waste treatment facilities (that
have been recovered and have excess capacities) will need to be found.
• Hotline on disaster waste streams. There will be a number of waste streams
which need specialized attention and customized solutions. Unless predictable
and professional advice is available, the waste holders will find their own solution,
which may not be environmentally appropriate.
• Continuous monitoring of water quality at strategic locations in rivers,
streams, canals, and the upper Gulf of Thailand as well as afforestation of
mangrove forests. To reduce further impact to ecological systems and linked
productive activities, monitoring of water quality in strategic locations is necessary
to provide early warning to the public, as stagnant floodwater is going to be
drained into the rivers, streams, and canals which will end up in the upper Gulf of
Thailand.
Strategy for Medium-term Recovery and Reconstruction
• Modernization of municipal waste management systems taking into account
disaster risk management framework. The majority of municipal solid waste
management facilities are open dumps that are very vulnerable to floods.
Increasing health risks from wash out waste and its potential contamination of the
surrounding environment need to be properly safeguarded. The municipal solid
waste and wastewater management modernization plan should be revisited to
integrate the disaster risk management aspects as well as the waste to energy or
composting options which would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Create knowledge base for disaster risk reduction services provided by the
ecosystems. A comprehensive study of the disaster risk reduction services
provided by natural ecosystems should be undertaken, followed with valuing of
those services. Approaches such as “makings space for water” and payment to
private owners (e.g., rice field owners/renters) to periodically use their property
as buffering storage to prevent downstream flooding should be developed.
• Upgrading and climate proofing of industrial waste management facilities,
taking advantage of cleaner technology and potential waste to energy
options. Most of the wastewater treatment facilities in the affected industrial
135 World Bank, Thailand Environment Monitor 2003 Solid Waste Management
196 THAI FLOOD 2011 RAPID ASSESSMENT FOR RESILIENT RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION PLANNING