1. GHG MITIGATION OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WASTE SECTOR IN ARGENTINA SBSTA IN-SESSION WORKSHOP ON MITIGATION THURSDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2004 COP 10

2. CONTENTS HOUSEHOLD WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ARGENTINA NATIONAL STRATEGY BARRIERS TO PROJECT ACTIVITIES

3. GDP AND WASTE

4. -18% +30,9%

5. -27% +32,6%

6. SOCIOECONOMIC INDICATORS In October 2002 45,7% of the households were below the poverty line Unemployment peaked at 21,5% in May 2002

7. WASTE AND WASTE MANAGEMENT There exists the technological and economic potential to hold GHG emissions. Greater energy efficiency opportunities are available, often at lower cost than expected.

8. HOUSEHOLD WASTE DISPOSAL IN ARGENTINA The dominant methods of waste disposal in Argentina are landfills and open dumps. There are: –15 large landfills in the major metropolitan areas. –About a 100 open dumps in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area. –Around 2000 open dumps in urban areas. Approximately 65% of the urban population have their waste disposed in landfills.

9. METHANE FROM LANDFILLS Current emissions of methane from disposed household waste add to 14 million tonnes of CO2e/per year (1997 national inventory). Those emissions are equivalent to 5% of GHG total emissions.

10. HOUSEHOLD WASTE DISPOSAL IN ARGENTINA Municipal waste management is limited to: –Household waste collection. –Disposal in landfills –Disposal in open dumps: There are few technical controls Health and environmental risks.

11. HOUSEHOLD WASTE MANAGEMENT NATIONAL STRATEGY Diagnosis: Poor institutional organization Scarcity of statistics and planning Lack of trained staff Insufficient legislation related to solid waste management Wide-spread waste collection Scavenging Significant amount of open dumps

12. HOUSEHOLD WASTE MANAGEMENT NATIONAL STRATEGY Technical Components: Sorting at the household level Recycling and reuse Composting Energy recovery Closure of open dumps Methane recovery and use

13. HOUSEHOLD WASTE MANAGEMENT NATIONAL STRATEGY Other Components: Revision and consolidation of the regulatory framework Public awareness Economic instruments Provincial Plans

14. BARRIERS TO METHANE RECOVERY PROJECTS Institutional barriers Solid waste and landfill management a low budget priority for cities, due to heavy financial constraints Collection costs absorb almost 85% of waste management resources Lack of funds to finance new investments Regulatory issues

15. BARRIERS TO METHANE RECOVERY PROJECTS Technological barriers –Managerial constraints at municipal level –Landfills often distant from potential methane clients –Landfills of medium/small cities may not generate enough methane to reach commercial scale

16. BARRIERS TO METHANE RECOVERY PROJECTS Economic and financial barriers –Electricity and natural gas price –Scale of projects may not attract investors –Lack or insufficient financing –Lack of financial institutions understanding of these type of projects.

17. How to overcome barriers? Technological barriers could be managed through technical systems. Clear and stable conditions are necessary due to the long recovery period.