National Solid Waste Management Policy.

This National Solid Waste Management Policy serves as a sectoral framework that underscores the importance of efficient waste management in enhancing public health and quality of life. It outlines a comprehensive implementation structure that aligns with existing policies and legal instruments governing waste management in Liberia. The Government considers waste management a crucial element of good governance and a prominent municipal service influencing public perception. Consequently, local government authorities must prioritize waste management, ensuring well-organized systems within their municipalities to support revenue generation and the effective delivery of basic services nationwide. In collaboration with relevant stakeholders, the Government of Liberia will facilitate the implementation of the National Solid Waste Management Policy by working with municipalities and service providers to secure funding and by developing guidelines to improve the operation and maintenance of solid waste facilities.
The document outlines the following goals (i) Universal Access, ensuring that everyone has access to appropriate solid waste services at an affordable cost, at all times. This aims to guarantee that all municipal solid waste generated in human settlements is safely collected, transported, treated, and disposed of to protect public health and the environment; (ii) Transparency and Accountability, conducting solid waste management in a transparent and accountable manner as part of good governance, minimizing opportunities for unwarranted interference with service providers and customers; (iii) Financial Sustainability, establishing cost recovery mechanisms through various revenue sources, including fees and taxes on plastic importation and production, to ensure long-term financial sustainability; (iv) Inclusive Participation, incorporating public, private, and community participation in solid waste management. Sensitize the public to environmental issues and the values of recycling, reuse, and resource recovery in a socially inclusive manner. Ensure government institutions enforce the reduction of single-use plastics; (v) Gender Sensitivity, conducting solid waste management in a gender-sensitive manner, considering children and cultural aspects of the local population; (vi) Waste Reduction, encouraging the reduction of waste generation through recycling and reuse. Control and regulate the generation of waste materials, promote the development of markets for recyclable materials, and regulate the importation of general and hazardous waste materials; (vii) Compliance with Standards, adhering to national and international standards and regulatory instruments for hazardous solid wastes, ensuring they are governed separately by special practices and standards for waste treatment; (viii) Occupational Health and Safety, instituting standards for occupational health and safety in all workplaces, in accordance with national and international laws; (ix) Environmental Sustainability, conducting solid waste management in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner to protect public health, natural resources, the environment, and global climate. Foster environmentally appropriate technologies for managing disposal sites and transfer facilities; (x) Public Awareness, providing accurate information and raising awareness among the public in a timely and efficient manner.
Particular attention is given to the environmental aspect since strategic planning should prioritize environmental protection to reduce greenhouse gases and black carbon emissions from landfills and combustion. Minimizing human health and environmental risks involves monitoring compliance with national standards and establishing control mechanisms. Additionally, planning should ensure resilience against climate change effects like floods, extreme weather, and emerging diseases linked to increased home-based infectious waste.