Several ministries oversee solid waste management in Myanmar (Table 1).
Table 1. Ministries in Charge of Solid Waste Management in Myanmar
Ministry | Responsibility |
|---|---|
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation | Formulation of a legal framework, financial mechanism, and practical monitoring system on national waste management |
Ministry of Industry | Management of state-owned industries, industrial zones and economic zones, and coordination of private industries to prevent pollution and degradation of natural environment that are rooted from industrial waste |
Ministry of Health | Management of health-care waste generation; separation, coding, storage, transportation, handling, disposal of residues; furtherance of occupational health and safety and community awareness |
Source: Premakumara et al. (2017); Ministry of Health the Republic of Union of Myanmar (2014).
Solid waste management in Myanmar is a prime responsibility of the City Development Committees (CDCs) in large cities and Development Affairs Organisations (DAOs) through their Department of Pollution Control and Cleansing, which is in charge of managing household, industrial, medical, and hazardous wastes (ECD and MONREC, 2017). The three major cities that have CDCs are Mandalay, Yangon, and Nay Pyi Taw (Premakumara et al., 2017) while all other towns have DAOs. The rural area is excluded from the CDCs and DAOs and therefore has no institutional mechanism to manage waste.
Updated as of 10 January 2025.
Environmental Conservation Department (ECD) and Ministry of the Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC) (2017), National Waste Management Strategy and Action Plan for Myanmar (2017–2030). https://optoce.no/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Myanmar-National-Waste-Management-Strategy_Mar-2018.pdf (accessed 8 November 2019).
Ministry of Health, the Republic of Union of Myanmar (2014), Myanmar Essential Health Services Access Project. https://www.worldbank.org/content/dam/Worldbank/document/EAP/Myanmar/Community%20Engagement%20Planning%20Framework_English.pdf (accessed 10 January 2025).
Premakumara, D.G., M. Hengesbaugh, K. Onogawa, and O.M. Hlaing (2017), Waste Management in Myanmar: Current Status, Key Challenges, and Recommendations for National and City Waste Management Strategies. https://www.iges.or.jp/en/publication_documents/pub/policyreport/en/5670/POLICY+REPORT__Myanmar.final_.2017.01.31rev.pdf (accessed 7 November 2019).
Several ministries oversee solid waste management in Myanmar (Table 1).
Table 1. Ministries in Charge of Solid Waste Management in Myanmar
Ministry | Responsibility |
|---|---|
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation | Formulation of a legal framework, financial mechanism, and practical monitoring system on national waste management |
Ministry of Industry | Management of state-owned industries, industrial zones and economic zones, and coordination of private industries to prevent pollution and degradation of natural environment that are rooted from industrial waste |
Ministry of Health | Management of health-care waste generation; separation, coding, storage, transportation, handling, disposal of residues; furtherance of occupational health and safety and community awareness |
Source: Premakumara et al. (2017); Ministry of Health the Republic of Union of Myanmar (2014).
Solid waste management in Myanmar is a prime responsibility of the City Development Committees (CDCs) in large cities and Development Affairs Organisations (DAOs) through their Department of Pollution Control and Cleansing, which is in charge of managing household, industrial, medical, and hazardous wastes (ECD and MONREC, 2017). The three major cities that have CDCs are Mandalay, Yangon, and Nay Pyi Taw (Premakumara et al., 2017) while all other towns have DAOs. The rural area is excluded from the CDCs and DAOs and therefore has no institutional mechanism to manage waste.
Updated as of 10 January 2025.
Environmental Conservation Department (ECD) and Ministry of the Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC) (2017), National Waste Management Strategy and Action Plan for Myanmar (2017–2030). https://optoce.no/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Myanmar-National-Waste-Management-Strategy_Mar-2018.pdf (accessed 8 November 2019).
Ministry of Health, the Republic of Union of Myanmar (2014), Myanmar Essential Health Services Access Project. https://www.worldbank.org/content/dam/Worldbank/document/EAP/Myanmar/Community%20Engagement%20Planning%20Framework_English.pdf (accessed 10 January 2025).
Premakumara, D.G., M. Hengesbaugh, K. Onogawa, and O.M. Hlaing (2017), Waste Management in Myanmar: Current Status, Key Challenges, and Recommendations for National and City Waste Management Strategies. https://www.iges.or.jp/en/publication_documents/pub/policyreport/en/5670/POLICY+REPORT__Myanmar.final_.2017.01.31rev.pdf (accessed 7 November 2019).
