VIENTIANE, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The Vientiane City Office for Management and Services (VCOMS), in collaboration with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), hosted a workshop on solid waste management, making a bold step towards sustainable development in Laos.
The workshop discussed the Decentralized Waste Collection Services (DEWACS) and the Integrated Resource Recovery Center (IRRC) Operations systems, which have been instrumental in transforming Vientiane's approach to waste management, Lao national TV reported on Thursday.
The meeting, held in Lao capital Vientiane on Wednesday, was attended by city and provincial government officials, international agencies, project stakeholders, community leaders, academia and the private sector.
The DEWACS and IRRC systems have successfully converted organic waste from 7,000 residents into high-quality compost, showcasing a practical model for converting waste into resources.
The operations of these systems demonstrated that organic waste, which comprises over 60 percent of the waste produced in capital Vientiane, is a useful material and can be turned into compost or fertilizer, which would in turn strengthen the use of organic products, said the report.
Speaking at the event, Panya Manivong, Deputy Director General of VCOMS, said the DEWACS and IRRC is an innovative system that has significantly improved waste collection and diversion in the Lao capital, particularly in previously unserved areas, and promoted source separation and resource recovery at the household level.
The workshop served as a platform for sharing the successes of the Wastewater and Solid Waste Treatment Capacity Building Project. This project has been a cornerstone in Vientiane's journey towards a greener future, with the first phase yielding promising results in waste management and resource recovery. ■