Government Approves National Solid Waste Management Policy

By P. Vangerline Kpotoe

The Government of Liberia has officially approved the National Solid Waste Management Policy (NSWMP) in alignment with its ARREST agenda.

The validation of the policy took place on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) headquarters in Sinkor, with a focus on improving waste management in urban areas.

Dr.  Emmanuel U. Yarkpawolo, Executive Director of the EPA, emphasized the necessity of cooperation among various stakeholders to combat the problem of indiscriminate waste disposal, citing that the newly approved policy is a key component in supporting Liberia's ambition to become a middle-income country by 2030 and aligns with global sustainable development goals.

The NSWMP is expected to enhance sanitation practices, improve public health, and create a healthier living environment for Liberian citizens. 

Dr. Yarkpawolo highlighted that the policy reinforces the government's commitment to better sanitation and hygiene practices as outlined in the ARREST Agenda, adding that the policy will be crucial in establishing better living conditions for all Liberians.

“We extend our profound appreciation to our development partners, especially the World Bank, for their assistance in developing the Solid Waste Policy, which provided key inputs that guided the formulation of this policy document,” Dr. Yarkpawolo said.

He also acknowledged the technical assistance from the International Labor Organization (ILO) in December 2009, which helped create the first draft of the policy.

The EPA further praised UNICEF, UNDP, and other partners for their support in advancing the policy review and validation processes, stressing that this collaboration helped revitalize efforts toward completing the policy and refining its goals, objectives, and strategies to align with Liberia’s vision for medium-term economic growth and development.

Dr. Yarkpawolo also recognized the contributions of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the European Union, Cities Alliance, WaterAid, USAID, JICA, Habitat for Humanity International, and World Hope International, as well as national consultants for their roles in finalizing the National Solid Waste Management Policy.

The NSWMP outlines the government's vision for effective and efficient waste management, acknowledging its critical role in improving public health and the overall quality of life in Liberia.

The Monrovia City Corporation Solid Waste Policy is the foundation of the policy framework. Linkages between the environment, public health, good local governance, public and private sector participation, gender and transparency issues highlighted by the overarching policy statement are key issues which impinge on the needs of the solid waste sector to be addressed in a sustainable and mutually supportive manner. 

The overarching Solid Waste Policy Statement sets out the Government of Liberia vision which recognizes safe collection, transportation and disposal of solid waste generated for the development of sound public health and improvement of the quality of life, and should be performed in a gender sensitive, environmentally and socially satisfactory manner using the most economical means available.