A Guide for Sustainable Urban Development of the 21st Century

Shanghai Manual – A Guide for Sustainable Urban Development in the 21st Centuryand in some cases are deposited in illegal dumping sites.A paradigm shift from conventional waste management practices to Integrated Solid WasteManagement (ISWM) is essential for cities in order to effectively manage the wastestream. ISWM is a comprehensive waste prevention, recycling, composting, and disposalprogramme. An effective ISWM system considers how to prevent, recycle, and managesolid waste in ways that most effectively protect human health and the environment.ISWM involves evaluating local needs and conditions, and then selecting and combiningthe most appropriate waste management activities for those conditions. As a consequenceof conventional waste management practices, many cities in developing countries arefacing environmental and health risks as well as losing economic opportunities in terms ofthe resource value of the waste. Box 1 describes the opportunities of adopting ISWM asagainst conventional waste management practices and Box 2 highlights the health risks forwaste pickers and communities due to conventional waste management practices.7