Kathmandu: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has announced a new waste management strategy requiring all waste to be segregated before disposal. This initiative aims to reduce costs and environmental pollution caused by transporting unsegregated waste to the Bancharedanda Landfill Site.

Sarita Rai, Chief of KMC's Environment Management Department, emphasized that polluters would be held accountable for waste segregation at the source, as required by law. "The waste should be segregated at its source for proper management," she stated.

Currently, waste segregation is being practiced in five wards—5, 10, 24, 25, and 26—with plans to expand the system to all 32 wards in the city.

KMC plans to manage 20% of the city’s waste at the Bancharedanda Landfill Site while assigning private service providers to handle the remaining 80%. "Waste generated at one location should not be managed by merely transferring it to another site," Rai explained, stressing the need for source segregation to reduce overall waste volume.

The 18 local levels in the Kathmandu Valley collectively produce approximately 1,600 metric tonnes of waste daily. While private companies have traditionally handled waste management, KMC intends to streamline this process by collaborating with dedicated service providers for improved efficiency.

The new policy reflects KMC's commitment to sustainable waste management practices and aims to minimize the environmental impact of urban waste.