ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses a range of arrangements and concerns associated with waste management in developing nations. Solid waste management refers to the collection, processing and disposal of waste generated by residences and businesses. When considering solid waste management practices in developing countries, impacts on the local economy are of particular importance. Solid waste management is generally the responsibility of local government, and is often handled directly by local government employees. The base of the pyramid (BoP) solid waste management proposal builds on the standard model for privatisation in which local government contracts with a large firm—often a multinational in the waste management industry—to provide the required waste management services. The difference is that, in the BoP proposal, the multinational would be the head of a team assembled to implement a sustainable approach to waste management, based on input from the local community. Stepping back from the minutiae, the BoP proposal addresses the crux problem—limited funding.
