Participatory waste management approach for climate change mitigation: the case of Battambang City

This document presents a case study of Battambang Municipality’s participatory waste management initiative aimed at addressing persistent challenges in municipal waste services, including poor collection quality, open burning, and low public trust. Beginning in 2011, the initiative mobilised local stakeholders—government, NGOs, private companies, and residents—under a shared vision supported by international technical assistance from IGES and COMPED. Key components included source segregation of organic waste, composting, improved landfill management, and awareness-raising campaigns. Notably, the programme established a model for stakeholder cooperation through on-site training in Thailand and the implementation of a locally developed waste strategy aligned with national Sub-Decree 113. Environmental benefits included reduced landfill fires and increased composting; social gains featured stronger institutional collaboration and better working conditions; and economic impacts involved improved cost recovery and the emergence of competing recycling actors.