Community-wide Waste Management System for Cape Maclear

Five students from ETH Zürich completed their Master’s theses at the chair of Global Health Engineering. They spent two months in the town of Cape Maclear, Malawi and four months in Zürich, Switzerland trying to establish a community-wide waste management system. This policy brief presents the results: a comprehensive proposal for developing and implementing a solid waste collection system for Cape Maclear. The study provides detailed insights into waste quantification, characterization, and management strategies for various waste fractions based on the research. This brief also presents a village-wide map, a population estimation, and a financial feasibility assessment. It concludes with recommendations for a conservative business model, emphasizing the importance of realistic stakeholder participation and payment compliance in implementing a successful solid waste management program.