Byas Municipality earns Rs 1.4 million from waste sales in 8 months

KATHMANDU: Byas Municipality has generated Rs 1.4 million over the past eight months by selling non-biodegradable waste.

Initiated in late August, this waste management initiative includes systematic collection, segregation, and sale of recyclable materials.

According to Krishna Ghimire, Head of the Municipality’s Forest, Environment, and Sanitation Division, the municipality began detailed classification of non-biodegradable waste for sale in the first phase of the project.

Materials like plastic, metal, fabric, and glass are being sold through a bidding process.

“We send the materials for sale once a truckload is ready,” Ghimire explained. “A baling machine has been installed in the municipal premises to compress large volumes of plastic, iron, and paper waste into manageable sizes for storage and transport.”

Previously, non-biodegradable waste was buried in dug pits. Now, waste is managed and sold directly from the municipality’s premises, reflecting a shift towards sustainable waste practices.

The municipality has fixed the following rates for recyclable items: aluminum products including Red Bull cans at Rs 60 per kg, iron at Rs 35, tin at Rs 25, plastic and other bottles at Rs 23, fabric at Rs 5.50, notebooks at Rs 16, and books at Rs 14 per kg.

Initially managed at Bhateri near the Madi River in Ward 3, the non-biodegradable waste site was closed after the contract expired. Waste is now being handled from within the municipal compound until a new site is finalized.

Chief Administrative Officer Kashiram Gaire stated that a temporary waste segregation center has been constructed using trusses in and around the old municipal hall. “There was public opposition due to odor and land acquisition issues, but this initiative has conveyed a positive message to residents,” he said.

Currently, the municipality collects around 15 tons of non-biodegradable and about 7 tons of biodegradable waste daily. As awareness of the value of recyclables increases, more residents have begun collecting and selling such items.

Biodegradable waste continues to be managed at the Goshala Center in Ward 10, Bhateri. Plans to purchase land in Ward 13 for long-term non-biodegradable waste management are on hold due to local resistance.

Mayor Baikuntha Neupane noted that while the municipality has historically spent millions on sanitation, the new system is now producing significant revenue. “This marks a turning point, showing that waste can be a resource rather than a burden,” he added.