- Ausdruck vom: 07.02.2012, 13:01:43 Uhr
- Quelle: http://www.retech-germany.net/80
"Growth" is normally a term with positive associations. In the case of growing amounts of waste, the situation is the other way around. The composition of waste is becoming more complex and amounts are growing – not only in industrial countries.
Increasing numbers of people produce greater amounts of waste: goods of mass consumption are distributed more quickly than waste disposal structures can keep up with. This leads to direct problems for public health and has negative consequences on the environment, for example on water, soil and air. For example, the federal state of Mexico has immense problems with its waste. With approximately 13 million inhabitants and 125 municipalities, it is one of the most densely populated states in the country: the largest municipalities have as many inhabitants as Berlin.
In 2000 the federal environmental agency (SEGEM) provided attractive prizes for the campaign For a Clean Federal State. Municipalities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), schools, companies and individuals were invited to develop innovative pilot projects for the improvement of the environment. 80 of 125 municipalities participated.
The project SEGEM-GTZ was a member of the jury. Prizes were awarded in June 2002, arousing great public interest. Since the prize money had to be used for environmental measures, further motivation could be generated. Interest in waste management was thus created to a much greater extent than this would have been possible through punctual or individual measures.
Read more on background, approach and results at: www.gtz.de
Return to: Technical Cooperation
Source: GTZ
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