Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Step 3 (cont): Type and Level of Service Desired


Type of Service Desired: can be any sector that produces waste or a combination of several sectors. Be sure to prioritize services based on waste generation and feasibility:



Level of Service: Coverage of Collection
When starting a waste management collection system, it’s recommended to start small. Use this opportunity as a test run to make observations about the process noting challenges and best practices. This can also serve as a model to educate other community members about the project. You can also use a series of small activities to gauge the interest and dedication of project participants before you embark on a large scale project. Once you have an established system that works well, it will be easier to expand into other neighborhoods/communities/etc.
Level of Service: Frequency of Collection
If you are starting a waste collection system, the idea is to find a balance between convenience for community members and operation costs. Obviously, the higher the frequency of waste collection, the easier it is for community members to take out all the waste produced for collection. On the other hand, such a high frequency of waste collection would only make sense in a community producing enormous quantities of waste. Generally in small, rural communities the recommended frequency of collection is once a week (to avoid flies, pests, and bad odors while also keeping operation costs to a minimum). Use the information gathered during the waste diagnostic to determine an optimal waste collection schedule.

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