Assessing waste management practices and sustainable recycling opportunities in Nepal

Abstract

Nepal’s growing urbanization has intensified the challenges of waste management, yet it also opens opportunities to transform waste into valuable resources. This study explores the “Waste to Wealth” paradigm, focusing on recycling and resource management for sustainable development in Nepal. The study aims to understand waste management practices, identify key challenges, and uncover opportunities for sustainable recycling and resource valorization across diverse urban contexts. Adopting an interpretivist philosophy and a qualitative approach, the research engages with stakeholders in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Butwal, and Dhangadi. Purposive sampling includes policymakers, municipal officers, community members, social entrepreneurs, and environmental activists. Semi-structured interviews conducted in Nepali yield rich insights, analyzed thematically using Braun & Clarke’s (Braun and Clarke, 2006) six-phase framework. Ethical standards, peer debriefing, and meticulous documentation ensure rigor and credibility. The findings are categorized into key themes as waste composition and current practices (organic waste dominates, with limited segregation at source), role of the informal sector in collection and recycling, resource valorization to create economic opportunities, socio economic impacts, innovative practices and challenges (weak municipal services, inadequate infrastructure, limited community awareness, and fragmented policy enforcement hinder progress). Turning waste into wealth in Nepal demands coordinated efforts among policymakers, communities, and entrepreneurs. With strategic support, localized innovations, and inclusive governance, waste can become a catalyst for sustainable development.