𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐭𝐬𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠

…𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒊𝒎 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕

By Tashi Tshewang

Samtse Dzongkhag marked a significant milestone in its waste management efforts with the inauguration of its Plastic Waste Recovery Center, which includes a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) and a conveyor unit. Officially opened by the Dzongdag, the center aims to improve waste collection, segregation, and recycling efficiency across the district. This initiative is expected to reduce the burden on local landfills, support environmental sustainability, and promote responsible waste disposal.

In addition to the facility, CCTV surveillance cameras have been installed at the Majathang landfill to monitor waste disposal activities. These cameras have already identified individuals dumping waste in unauthorized areas, prompting swift action from authorities. Officials have issued a final warning to the public, stressing that strict fines and penalties will be enforced against violators.

These technological upgrades in both infrastructure and enforcement reflect Samtse Dzongkhag’s commitment to sustainable urban management and environmental protection. The Dzongkhag administration has urged residents to cooperate with the new measures to foster a cleaner and more responsible community.

Wangchuk Lepcha, the Samtse Gup, said, “As local leaders, we know that the success of the Plastic Waste Recovery Center depends on community involvement. Our role is to mobilize participation, support daily operations, and serve as a link between the facility and the people. We will ensure waste is properly collected, sorted, and transported from households and institutions. To raise awareness, we plan to use meetings, religious gatherings, schools, and youth groups for clean-up campaigns. We will also spread information through posters, mobile announcements, and local notice boards to educate the public about proper waste disposal and the penalties for illegal dumping. We are committed to making this initiative successful as it contributes to the cleanliness, health, and sustainability of our community.”

However, challenges remain. In remote areas, open dumping continues, and public awareness about waste segregation is limited. Monitoring and enforcement are difficult due to resource constraints. To address this, the Gup said they will involve respected community figures such as elders and monks to promote responsible waste practices. “We plan to introduce incentives for model households that actively participate in waste segregation and work closely with the Dzongkhag and National Environment Commission Secretariat to ensure fair enforcement and regular progress monitoring,” he added.

Deepen Raj Ghalley, project manager of the waste recovery center, explained the daily operations: “Every day, waste collected from households, institutions, and businesses is brought to our facility and unloaded onto the receiving area. It then moves onto the conveyor belt, where trained workers manually remove non-recyclable items, hazardous waste, and large debris. The remaining materials are sorted into plastics, paper, cardboard, glass, and metals. These recyclables are compressed into bales and stored for transport to licensed recycling companies.”

He further described waste collection in Samtse as structured, with dry and wet waste collected on separate days by municipal vehicles. Wet waste is currently dumped at a designated site but plans are underway to process it into compost. Plastics are sorted into Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) during processing to ensure quality. “These are baled and sold only to authorized firms, mostly in Phuentsholing, for safe recycling,” he said.

“Our goal is to make waste recovery in Samtse both efficient and environmentally responsible, supporting Bhutan’s vision of a cleaner and greener future. Although we have not yet started supplying to Green Road, we have signed a memorandum of understanding and plan to send low-grade plastic waste for road construction soon. Every movement of plastic waste is tracked to ensure transparency and accountability,” Deepen added.

He noted that the CCTV monitoring system, initiated on July 1, 2025, near key waste disposal points, has led to a noticeable decrease in illegal dumping, increased public awareness, and faster enforcement under the Environmental Act. “We hope this effort will encourage cleaner surroundings and better waste habits in Samtse,” he said.

Amber Singh Ghalley, the Tshogpa of Khangduzhi Kyidsa, stressed the need for further public education. “It would be helpful to organize awareness programs in the gewog to educate people about the waste management system and consequences of illegal dumping. Although we inform villagers, waste is still thrown along the way to our village, and we don’t know who is responsible. This is a recurring issue.”

The Tshogpa said illegal dumping continues despite efforts, and he hopes the new Waste Recovery Center will improve community discipline and waste handling practices. “Installing waste bins at key locations would also help, so people know where to dispose of waste. Right now, the lack of proper dumping points means people throw garbage wherever they find space. We are trying to educate them, but without facilities and collective responsibility, it remains a challenge,” he added.

Kamal Ghalley, a resident of Kyidsa village, described ongoing problems with waste in his community. “No vehicle comes to collect waste here, and even those who want to dispose of garbage properly have no designated dumping area. Many people throw waste near the roadside or into nearby forests. This makes our surroundings dirty and unpresentable. The situation has lasted a long time, and we are worried.”

He warned that unmanaged waste poses health and environmental risks, with potential serious consequences if no action is taken. Kamal welcomed the new Waste Recovery Center, expressing hope it will improve waste management. “If things had continued as before, more diseases could arise, and people might fall ill due to unhygienic conditions. The beauty of our village would be lost. But now, with this new center, we feel hopeful it will improve cleanliness and the overall well-being of our community.”