Chandrapur, Rautahat
WASTE SEGREGATION & RECYCLING CENTER

With rapid urbanization in Nepal—especially in the densely populated Terai region, where more than half of Nepal’s population lives—the amount of waste is also steadily increasing. In cities such as Chandrapur, home to around 72,000 people, there is currently no sustainable solution for waste disposal. The majority of non-organic waste is being disposed of in an uncontrolled manner – burned, buried, or dumped into waterways – with serious consequences for health (e.g., diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, or typhoid), the environment (e.g., aggressive and toxic substances), and the climate (e.g., CO2 emissions).

This is precisely where our joint waste management program, developed by Chay Ya in close cooperation with Chandrapur municipality and expert partner NIDISI, comes in. The aim is not the economic recycling of waste, but a long-term, functioning socio-ecological system that protects the health of the population, preserves the environment, and improves quality of life.

The project will be launched in several phases – three are currently planned. First, a modern waste treatment plant for 500 households will be built, which will later be expanded to accommodate up to 1,500 households. This includes sorting stations, composting of organic waste, and recycling of plastics (which can then be resold as new products). At the same time, comprehensive education and awareness-raising measures are being implemented in schools, neighborhoods, and the general public. The aim is to raise awareness of waste prevention and actively involve the population.

The municipality of Chandrapur is involved as a long-term partner: it provides the site, infrastructure such as electricity and water, staff and vehicles, and is gradually taking over the operation of the facility. It is also contributing financially to the implementation, together with the government.

The social component is particularly important to us: disadvantaged population groups are specifically recruited as employees, trained as “waste officers” or consultants, and integrated into the project. Young people, especially women, gain new career prospects through training and will later promote the project as experts.

In the long term, the facility will not only handle Chandrapur’s waste, but also serve as a training center and model project for the whole of Nepal – including modern technologies such as an environmentally friendly waste incineration plant with heat recovery. With this holistic approach, we want to work with the local population to bring about sustainable change – towards a clean, healthy, and livable Chandrapur.