Mediterranean cities mobilise for optimal management of waste - some concrete cases

In conjunction with the city of Sousse, the ANGED, and Bruxelles Environnement, ACR+ organised a seminar in Sousse, Tunisia, from 24-25 January 2012.

This seminar took place in accordance with the framework of the GODEM (Optimised Waste Management in the Mediterranean) project which aims to develop an international network specialising in the exchange of information and experiences based around the central themes of “waste – products – resources”.

Which themes were dealt with during the seminar?

This seminar provided the opportunity for experts from both sides of the Mediterranean to exchange their knowledge, and to capitalise on the chance to learn about good practices during the plenary sessions and through the proposed workshops.  The debates were centred around the following axes: Adequate collection systems, Awareness-raising, Sanctions.

The importance of the choices relating to methods of collection, techniques, and equipment to be used in waste management is essential. However, choices which aim to achieve certain goals cannot, in and of themselves, solve the problem of urban hygiene, which remains dependent on citizen commitment.

Awareness-raising therefore allows the inhabitants to take responsibility and to assume a role in its progress. Finally, it proves essential that an efficient system of incentives be put in place, to be used as a last resort, which would do two things: on one hand, convince the opponents by impeding their changing of collective responsibility; and on the other hand reassure the active participants of the impact of their mobilisation.

Who was the seminar for?

This seminar was open to anyone concerned by urban waste collection; to political decision-makers, urban waste management technicians in Tunisia, to academics, the private sector in charge of waste collection, consultants, NGOs and community organisations.

The speakers’ presentations were interspersed with question and answer sessions, and with workshops providing plenty of opportunity to participate and to ask the questions of interest. 

Outcomes of the Seminar

• Press release
• Programme (FR)

Photographs

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Video (FR)

coming soon

For more information on the GODEM project, please visit http://www.acrplus.org/godem

With the financial support of the European Union