Draft
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
FOR KABUL URBAN WASTE MANAGEMENT PROJECT
SL. NO. / CONTENTS / PAGE NO.5.1 / PURPOSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK (ESMF)
5.2 / PROJECT DESCRIPTION
5.3 / SAFEGUARD ISSUES AND APPLICABILITY OF BANK POLICIES
5.4 / ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK (ESMF)
5.5 / DETAILS OF ESMF MITIGATION AND ENHANCEMENT MEASURES
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS CHAPTER
5A / Guidelines for Land and Asset Acquisition, Entitlements and Compensation5B / Abbreviated Resettlement Framework
5C / Protection of Cultural Property
5D / Procedures for Mine Risk Management in World Bank-Funded Projects in Afghanistan
5E / Negative List of Subproject Attributes
5F / Format for Limited Environmental and Social Assessment (LESA)
5G / Generic Terms of Reference for a full Environmental Assessment
5H / Generic Terms of Reference for a full Social Assessment
5J / Environmental Management Action Plan
5K / Codes of Practice for Prevention and Mitigation of Environmental and Public Health Impacts
CHAPTER 5: ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
FOR KABUL URBAN WASTE MANAGEMENT PROJECT
5.1 PURPOSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK (ESMF)
5.1.1 This environmental and social management framework (ESMF) has been developed for the KUWM Project to effectively address environmental and social concerns and opportunities. A framework approach has been chosen because, although project interventions have been well-defined, there are uncertainties given the overall post-conflict operational context in Afghanistan, which requires substantial flexibility during implementation. The ESMF builds upon the generic safeguard framework developed for emergency operations in Afghanistan and used for all emergency operations. The ESMF prescribes specific mitigation and enhancement measures to address the environmental and social aspects of project interventions. In addition, safeguards screening guidelines have been provided for possible subsequent variations in project interventions or possible additional investments.
5.2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION
5.2.1 The objective of the KUWM Project is to improve the management of Kabul’s urban sanitation operations (municipal solid waste and on-site sanitation) through technical, financial, and operational interventions in the urban waste management system (collection, transportation, processing and disposal) and in the municipal finance system.
5.2.2 To achieve the above objectives, the proposed project will include three main components:
· Institutional strengthening of Kabul Municipality with emphasis on its finance and sanitation functions (Department of Sanitation)
· Investments in disposal, transfer and collection systems, and
· Strategic sanitation planning in 5 main provincial towns.
5.2.3 A detailed description of these components has been provided in Chapter 1 of this manual. However, from the point of view of the ESMF, relevant sections are recapitulated here. Component 2 which pertains to investment in disposal, transfer and collection systems is of relevance. Similarly, to a certain extent Component 3 would be of relevance with regard to the approaches that may be identified under the strategic sanitation plans.
5.2.4 Component 2 involves construction of (a) a sanitary landfill site and mechanisms for treatment of nightsoil in one complex, and (b) two transfer stations. For the former the site has been identified. Land has also been identified for both transfer stations although additional land may be required for Transfer Station #2.
5.2.5 The treatment and disposal facility would be constructed on a 25 hectare land which is located on the outskirts of Kabul on northern side, at the foothills Koh-e-bad-e-Asia mountain range., is about 2 km off the Kunduz highway and the nearest habitation is about 1.5 km away. The site belongs to the Government of Afghanistan and is currently unoccupied, barren land. The sanitary landfill will involve construction of two cells with a liner system comprising clay and geo-membrane; storm water drainage, leachate collection and storage arrangements; a hazardous waste disposal cell over 3500 m2 with asphalt lining; and a 1.5 km long access road. The landfill will have a capacity of over 300,000 MT/annum.
5.2.6 The proposed transfer stations are estimated to require an area of about 1 hectare and would comprise an elevated platform with several bays (between 6-12) for loading waste into large containers. The loading area will be covered with a roof and wire mesh on three sides to prevent littering.
5.2.7 Lastly, the SSP proposed for Kabul and 5 Provincial towns will involve sanitation baseline assessment and identification of appropriate technologies, methods and approaches for providing basic service of improved environmental and individual sanitation to the citizens of these cities. These will primarily pertain to on-site and off-site sanitation solutions. As a part of the preparation of the plans, the concerned agency will also be required to carry out environmental impact assessment and develop requisite environmental management plan.
5.3 SAFEGUARD ISSUES AND APPLICABILITY OF BANK POLICIES
Environmental Assessment
5.3.1 While the project aims to improve the environmental sanitation and quality in Kabul Municipality area, the proposed activities could lead to unintended potential environmental impacts, the intensity of which would vary depending on type of activities. In view of this, and to address the potential environmental issues, environmental assessment is carried out and a comprehensive ESMF is provided.
5.3.2 For the treatment and disposal facility, and the transfer station #1, the environmental impacts have been identified and addressed in the Environmental Assessments (EA) and Environmental Management Plans (EMP) which were carried out under the ARTF funded UWSS Project when planning and engineering design for the proposed components of solid waste management were developed. For the transfer station #2, this exercise is yet to be carried out as the site is not clarified as yet.
5.3.3 The proposed Kabul Urban Waste Management Project will improve existing arrangements for waste collection, transportation and disposal. By creating a new sanitary landfill the project will prevent current practice of open dumping of mixed waste, and as a result it will improve overall public health situation. While the proposed interventions are expected to significantly improve the overall urban sanitation, there still could be some negative environmental impacts such as odour emission from transfer station(s), and landfill, leachate discharges from landfill site, littering of rubbish, etc. These impacts are already assessed as part of the EA for the project, which concludes that the overall environmental impact caused by the landfill site is generally low: there will be possible negative impacts only as long as the site is operated, these impacts normally are reversible after closure and rehabilitation of the site and the influence is only local. Necessary environmental management measures have been prepared and most of these are integrated in the designing of the proposed facilities with adequate operation and maintenance facilities.
Social assessment
5.3.4 Social assessment and socio-economic surveys were carried out under the IDA-funded Strategic Sanitation Plan and Sewerage/Drainage Master Plan for Kabul. The initial social assessments have been very rudimentary, but combined with other studies of urban livelihoods in Kabul, the overall picture is clearly one of extremely poor sanitary conditions, ranging from unsatisfactory conditions in the wealthy neighborhoods to extremely bad conditions in most of the poor, informal settlements. An Afghanistan Reconstruction and Evaluation Unit study on urban governance (March 2005) found that in all districts of Kabul Municipality, provision of basic services e.g., safe drinking water, sanitation and drainage was prioritized higher by the respondents vis-à-vis alternative such as electricity, education, and even the creation of employment opportunities
5.3.5 According to the National Rural Vulnerability Assessment 2005, the majority of households in Kabul have a traditional covered latrine (vault latrine) (63.86%), an improved latrine (18.34%), or a flush latrine (13.80%). Most households (85.35%) have toilet facility within the compound of their household. The most wealthy households (income above 2143 Afs/month) are significantly more likely to have a flush latrine than the rest of the inhabitants of Kabul. But ownership of a flush latrine is not only an indicator of income but perhaps more so of location as households require constant access to water to use the flush latrine. The NRVA data indicates that 55.37% of households with a flush latrine have piped municipal water, 14.66% have a gravity pipe scheme and 13.03% have a hand pump in their compound. The rapid social review conducted in 2004 reported that the 3 million daytime population of Kabul were serviced by only 14 public toilets, and of these only 3 were operating. Even the damaged and destroyed ones were frequently used.
5.3.6 In an AREU study (August 2006) across three cities (Kabul, Herat and Jalalabad), it was found that proper sanitation systems were absent in disadvantaged neighborhoods across all study sites. While a majority of households have access to private toilets, this is in all cases a dry latrine, where human waste is collected on the spot without any kind of septic system in place. The current practice of night-soil storage, collection, transport and disposal results in discharge of highly infectious and objectionable wastewater from almost every household that flows freely onto alleys and by-lanes and that is eventually channeled into puddles in the middle of public roads and streets . Children play in this highly unsanitary environment exposing themselves to a range of infectious diseases. A damaged and insufficient drainage system further adds to the unhealthy living conditions in the city. According to the Draft National Policy on Urban Environmental Sanitation (August 2006) prepared by the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, 75% of households do not have any connection or access to surface drains for sullage disposal. The combined wastewater is characteristically found accumulating in every neighborhood, offering breeding sites for mosquito and leading to associated diseases like malaria.
5.3.8 The population is reported to be severely suffering under the conditions, but also the existing solid waste open dump sites are in a very critical condition, causing significant problems and health risk to the surrounding population. The Chamtala open dumpsite located 9 km north of Kabul city was closed in 2002 due to protests from inhabitants living in downstream villages – but because of lack of alternatives, the dump site had to be reopened. Discussion with the local population in Oct. 2006 underlines that the popular demand for close-down of Chamtala dump site due to the severe negative health impacts is undiminished.
5.3.9 Garbage still remains largely uncollected, in spite of several projects in solid waste management, managed by UN-Habitat, and several NGOs. A general feature has been poor outreach and information to the affected population, poor management, financing, design and lack of coordination. Since the population does not pay for waste collection under the various schemes, the activities cease once external funding ceases. Hence, the conclusion of the October 2006 assessment is ‘one reason for the unwillingness of the population to use collection in the past was lack of continuity, timeliness and quality of the service offered by the municipal sanitation department’ – and the low level of hygiene awareness in relation solid waste. The willingness to pay for waste collection has been assessed and it is reported that households pay about 700 Afs (app. 14 US$) per year for general sanitation in their locality. However, this information most likely only refers to formal settlements – and about 80% of Kabul residents live in informal settlements. For the population at large, the general perception reportedly is that waste collection (including night soil collection and disposal) has been and is a municipal responsibility – and there is no precedence for user pay beyond the safai (sanitation) tax.
5.3.10 Significant scavenging and recycling of solid waste takes place both at the street side collection points and at the dumping grounds. Scavengers, mainly children, collect different kinds of reusable materials e.g., tin cans, pieces of wood, cloth, paper and cardboards, and plastics. Organic material, food residues, fruit and vegetable waste, etc. is either eaten by sheep and goats along the streets or it is also collected and sold as animal feed . Finally bones from butcheries and slaughterhouses are processed and also sold as feed for chickens. The most valuable recyclables are plastics and metals including tin cans. These materials are typically sold to micro-entrepreneurs who haul the waste to Pakistan for recycling. Currently, there are no recycling factories in Afghanistan. (UN-HABITAT Final Report on Kabul Municipality Solid Waste Institutional Study. Kabul-Afghanistan, May 2004:12)
5.3.11 A separate social assessment was also carried out for the following pilots which were implemented under the UWSS Project during 2005-07: (i) Sanitary Improvements for the Row Houses in District no. 11, (ii) Waste Containers in 8 districts, (iii) Public Toilets – 8 new and 8 repaired ones in 7 districts. The assessment concluded that all the pilots could not be implemented as per the original plans because of the challenging boundary conditions (e.g., relevant background information was still not fully available), which seriously weakens the possibility of assessing the results. In general, all the pilots seemed to suffer from the following shortcomings: a) Lack of training, awareness creation and mobilization of targeted communities, b) non-fulfillment of the technical preconditions e.g. lack of water for flush toilets, high container size making it difficult for children to reach out and put waste inside, higher weight of loaded containers and inappropriate positioning across surface drains making it difficult to move, lift and load on to the truck, irregular service for emptying the containers, lack of coordination among different agencies involved in garbage collection, and c) lack of maintenance services.
5.3.12 However, in spite of the weak implementation of the pilots, they did address very urgent needs which are reflected in the fact that the local population is keen to be involved in an extension of the interventions. The Social Assessment provides leads on how to scale up or extend the pilots in a more constructive and sustainable manner.
5.3.13 The components of the project will benefit households in general by providing an increased level of sanitation services, resulting in generally improved urban environment, living conditions and better public health . While women and children are not specifically targeted, they will be the primary beneficiaries of the proposed interventions in sanitation in terms of health gains (the under age-5 mortality rate is currently 25%) and reduced workload in waste collection.