Myanmar has been facing considerable challenges with the management of solid waste due to increasing income and consumption levels, population growth in urban areas, and lack of effective waste treatment and disposal options.  Following recent political reforms, the country has been making efforts to prioritise waste management by tackling data gaps and advancing the institutional coordination necessary for updating and enforcing relevant laws and regulations.

In this context, the United Nations Environmental Programme’s International Environmental Technology Centre (UNEP-IETC) has been actively supporting governments in the region to strengthen capacity on waste management including through the design of conducive policy frameworks and strategies. As a key partner in this initiative, the IGES – Centre Collaborating with UNEP on Environmental Technologies (CCET) organised the first series of participatory workshops in Myanmar aimed at assisting national and city level stakeholders in Myanmar to develop waste management strategies based on a holistic approach, addressing solid, liquid and gaseous waste in an integrated manner.