ANAMAY: Reducing household waste generation in rural areas

CONTEXT

In Laos, solid waste management is a growing problem in both urban and rural areas. This waste is increasingly made up of plastics and especially thermoplastics (polyethylene bags, bottles, etc.), mainly from the food industry, and purchased by households in small village grocery stores that only offer products in small containers. 

While the government and development partners are increasingly focused on improving waste management in urban and peri-urban areas, rural areas are being neglected as they are considered less waste-producing. However, the proliferation of plastics also affects rural communities in terms of health and pollution of natural resources, as they have no management and recycling infrastructure. 

To find alternatives to this waste management problem, Agrisud and its partners launched the ANAMAY initiative in the Viengkham District in December 2020.

OBJECTIVES

Reducing the production of plastic waste through awareness-raising sessions, the establishment of a network for the sale of recyclable waste, the provision of products sold in bulk in local grocery stores, and the implementation of waste management plans with village development committees.

RESULTS

• 1 network for the sales of bulk products set up in villages 
• 1,052 households (over 6,000 people) from 13 villages benefiting from sanitation plans for better management of household waste 
• 1,700 students from 16 schools educated and trained about solutions for better waste management in their schools and villages 

KEY PROJECT INFORMATION