As the waste management issue has only recently surfaced in Lao PDR, the country does not yet have regulations on general waste management (MoNRE, 2012). However, Lao PDR has several legal frameworks related to solid waste management:
Environmental Protection Law No. 29/NA 2013
Enacted in 2012 as a revised version of the Environmental Protection law No. 02-99/NA 1999, this law requires individuals or organisations that potentially emit pollutants to take measures to prevent environmental degradation caused by several materials, including waste (Article 25). The separation of general waste should be based on recycling, reuse, reprocessing, and elimination. Treatment of toxic and hazardous waste encompasses dumping, burning, cremation, burying, or elimination (Article 38). The law restricts importation of toxic and hazardous waste. Specific regulations apply to business enterprises and hospitals that produce hazardous waste (Article 39).
Industrial Waste Discharge Regulation No. 180/MIH 1994
This regulation aims to manage threats from the disposal of industrial waste or wastewater that can detrimentally impact water quality, health, and human life (Article 1). Any solid materials, including plastic bags, are prohibited from being disposed of into the environment and public water sources (Article 3 number 3.3). Additionally, industries treating their waste should follow the standard set by the regulation (Article 8).
Law on Industrial Processing No. 10/PO 1999
Wastes from manufacturing must be discharged based on methods and locations set by regulations (Article 19).
Decree on Waste Management for Healthcare Facilities (No. 1706/MOH, 2/7/2004)
This regulates several actions related to waste from healthcare facilities, such as the mechanism of waste separation (Article 8), collection and storage (Article 9), management and internal relocation (Article 10), and collective storage and length of time (Article 12 and 13) (Sato et al., 2018).
Ministry of Industry-Handicraft (1994), Industrial Waste Discharge Regulation, http://extwprlegs1.fao.org/docs/pdf/lao17659.pdf (accessed 25 October 2019).
National Assembly (1999a), Environmental Protection Law. https://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELECTRONIC/81050/87930/F-459975335/LAO81050.pdf (accessed 25 October 2019).
National Assembly (1999b), Law on the Processing Industry. http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/upload/pdf/law/02-economy/15_IndustrialProcessing-Decree1999Eng.pdf (accessed 25 October 2019).
National Assembly (2013), Environmental Protection Law (revised version). http://extwprlegs1.fao.org/docs/pdf/lao151747.pdf (accessed 25 October 2019).
Sato, N., P. Phonvisai, P. Sonthavy, and R. Ogawa (2018), Current Condition and Issues of Municipal Solid Waste Management in Vientiane Capital, Luang Prabang District, and Xayabouri District in Laos People’s Democratic Republic. https://bit.ly/2PLIRLz (accessed 23 December 2019).
As the waste management issue has only recently surfaced in Lao PDR, the country does not yet have regulations on general waste management (MoNRE, 2012). However, Lao PDR has several legal frameworks related to solid waste management:
Environmental Protection Law No. 29/NA 2013
Enacted in 2012 as a revised version of the Environmental Protection law No. 02-99/NA 1999, this law requires individuals or organisations that potentially emit pollutants to take measures to prevent environmental degradation caused by several materials, including waste (Article 25). The separation of general waste should be based on recycling, reuse, reprocessing, and elimination. Treatment of toxic and hazardous waste encompasses dumping, burning, cremation, burying, or elimination (Article 38). The law restricts importation of toxic and hazardous waste. Specific regulations apply to business enterprises and hospitals that produce hazardous waste (Article 39).
Industrial Waste Discharge Regulation No. 180/MIH 1994
This regulation aims to manage threats from the disposal of industrial waste or wastewater that can detrimentally impact water quality, health, and human life (Article 1). Any solid materials, including plastic bags, are prohibited from being disposed of into the environment and public water sources (Article 3 number 3.3). Additionally, industries treating their waste should follow the standard set by the regulation (Article 8).
Law on Industrial Processing No. 10/PO 1999
Wastes from manufacturing must be discharged based on methods and locations set by regulations (Article 19).
Decree on Waste Management for Healthcare Facilities (No. 1706/MOH, 2/7/2004)
This regulates several actions related to waste from healthcare facilities, such as the mechanism of waste separation (Article 8), collection and storage (Article 9), management and internal relocation (Article 10), and collective storage and length of time (Article 12 and 13) (Sato et al., 2018).
Ministry of Industry-Handicraft (1994), Industrial Waste Discharge Regulation, http://extwprlegs1.fao.org/docs/pdf/lao17659.pdf (accessed 25 October 2019).
National Assembly (1999a), Environmental Protection Law. https://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELECTRONIC/81050/87930/F-459975335/LAO81050.pdf (accessed 25 October 2019).
National Assembly (1999b), Law on the Processing Industry. http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/upload/pdf/law/02-economy/15_IndustrialProcessing-Decree1999Eng.pdf (accessed 25 October 2019).
National Assembly (2013), Environmental Protection Law (revised version). http://extwprlegs1.fao.org/docs/pdf/lao151747.pdf (accessed 25 October 2019).
Sato, N., P. Phonvisai, P. Sonthavy, and R. Ogawa (2018), Current Condition and Issues of Municipal Solid Waste Management in Vientiane Capital, Luang Prabang District, and Xayabouri District in Laos People’s Democratic Republic. https://bit.ly/2PLIRLz (accessed 23 December 2019).
