Privatizing Solid Waste Management Services in Developing Countries: Lessons Learned from Private Sector Involvement in the delivery of solid waste collection and disposal services (Proceedings paper)

Members of the donor community, U.S. government agencies, and the private sector met in November 1991 to examine the feasibility of privatizing municipal solid waste management services in developing countries. The seminar featured lessons learned from nine USAID-funded case studies as well as from the overseas experiences of U.S. waste management service companies and other donors. Key findings included the need for political commitment to implement privatization strategies, financial autonomy and accountability to insure cost-effectiveness, adoption of a comprehensive systems approach to service delivery, and the institutional capacity to manage private contractors. The seminar also offered valuable insights into the opportunities and constraints for U.S. waste management firms and manufacturers in developing country markets.

The Introduction and Lessons Learned sections of this report provide a summation of the seminar proceedings. The remainder of the report consists of the papers  or presentations issued by the seminar participants themselves. This latter section contains more detailed practical information and pertinent insights on the privatization of solid waste management services from leading experts in the field.

Contents:

Abstract

Introduction

Lessons Learned

SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS and PAPERS

- Approaches to Solid Waste Management: USAID’s Experiences in Botswana, Swaziland, Honduras, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Morocco (Frank Ohnesorgen, International City/ County Management Association)

- Lessons from a Semi-Private Enterprise in Bandung, Indonesia (Susan Hal, Harvard Business School)

- Private Provision of Solid Waste Management Services in La Paz, Bolivia (Robert Donovan, Director, Solid Waste Management, Phoenix)

- Solid Waste Management in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Philip Roark, Associate Director, Water and Sanitation for Health Project)

- Conceptual Issues and Experiences in Developing Countries (Sandra Cointreau Levine, Consultant)

- Privatizing Waste Services in Latin America (Elizabeth Schueler, Waste Management Inc)

- Privatizing Municipal Solid Waste Services in Asia (George H. Sanderlin, Municipal Services Manager, Browning-Ferris Industries, Houston)