As cities around the world grapple with growing volumes of waste, local governments face mounting pressure to deliver reliable services. Many lower-income countries are working to establish the foundations of effective municipal waste management systems while responding to rapid population growth, fast paced urbanization and increasing environmental pollutions.
To help address this challenge, the World Bank Group Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC) convened government officials, waste management practitioners, and World Bank Group teams for a Technical Deep Dive (TDD) on Building Robust Solid Waste Management Systems for a Circular Economy in Lower-Income Countries.
The week-long program brought together participants from Chad, Ghana, Nepal, Senegal, Somalia, Tanzania, Vietnam, and the West Bank and Gaza to explore practical solutions for strengthening waste management systems and turning policy ambitions into implementation. Through technical sessions, peer exchanges, and field visits across Japan, participants examined how cities can improve waste management service delivery, strengthen institutions, finance waste systems sustainably, and gradually advance toward circular economy models.
Learning from Japan's Experience
A central feature of the program was learning from Japan's long-term experience in building effective waste management systems through strong governance, citizen participation, and continuous sustained efforts to advance recycling and circularity.
On the first day, representatives from Osaki Town in Kagoshima Prefecture, known for achieving one of Japan's highest recycling rates, and Iwaki City in Fukushima Prefecture, which has extensive experience in community-based initiative on disaster waste management, shared their experiences. The discussions highlighted the important role that collective actions among local governments, residents, and businesses plays in building resilient and efficient waste management systems.
Participants also took part in field visits to Hayama Town and Kamakura City in Kanagawa Prefecture. In both municipalities, they have explored the alternative means of waste treatment to divert from high-cost and maintenance Waste-to-Energy facility. In Hayama, they learned about local initiatives aimed at reducing food waste and promoting organic waste recycling. At the Hayama Clean Center, they observed how community engagement and decentralized approaches can contribute to both waste reduction and environmental sustainability at the local level.
In Kamakura City, participants witnessed first hand how municipalities, universities, businesses, financial institutions, and citizens are working together to advance a circular economy. Through presentations and site visits, they explored how innovation, partnerships, and citizen participation support resource recovery, job creation, and sustainable urban development.
Shared Challenges, Practical Solutions
Despite differing local contexts, participants shared many common challenges across their solid waste management systems. These included fragmented institutional responsibilities, limited financing and cost recovery mechanisms, inadequate infrastructure for collection and disposal, weak regulatory enforcement, and low public awareness of waste reduction and source separation. Rapid urbanization and increasing waste generation continue to place additional pressure on local governments seeking to expand and improve waste services.
Technical sessions focused on practical approaches to addressing these challenges, from integrated waste management systems and behavior change to landfill management and cost recovery mechanisms. Participants also explored the internationally recognized Fukuoka Method, a semi-aerobic landfill management approach that enables cities to improve environmental and economic performance through low-cost, lower-maintenance, and financially sustainable solutions: Based on the satisfaction survey, many participants found that the value of the TDD lays in combining technical knowledge offerings with peer learning opportunities and real-world examples.
From Learning to Action
The TDD concluded with country teams developing Action Plans to apply key lessons from the program within their ongoing World Bank Group projects and policy initiatives. The plans identified practical next steps in areas such as collection services, landfill management, cost recovery, institutional reforms, source separation, and circular economy initiatives. TDLC will be following up with the participating countries to support further during the Action Plan implementation phase.
By combining global expertise, Japanese experience, and peer-to-peer learning, the TDD provided participants with practical knowledge and actionable ideas to strengthen solid waste management systems and advance toward more sustainable and circular urban futures.
As participants return to their countries, the partnerships, insights, and action plans developed throughout the week will help shape the next generation of solid waste management investments and reforms, contributing to cleaner, more resilient, and more sustainable cities.
Participants’ voice
“In Chad, waste is simply thrown into the river valleys and in public places. The week-long lessons learned in Tokyo directly align with the president’s policy.”
Adam Yaya ABDEL MAHAMOUD, Maire de la Commune de la Ville d'Abéché, Chad
“After returning home, we hope to start working toward strengthening the institutional framework for waste management, introducing waste separation at source, and gradually expanding recycling efforts within our existing capacity.”
Yosria Thaher, Head of policy and planning unit, Gaza, Palestina
