In 1995, the Asia and Pacific region was home to 3.3 billion people, with an average annual population growth rate of 1.7 per cent and an average density (in 1990) of 95 people per square kilometre, equivalent to that of Europe (UN, 1993). Countries range in population size from a few thousand in some of the smaller Pacific island nations to China (1.2 billion), India (900 million), and Indonesia (200 million).
The urban populations in the developing countries grew between 3 and 6.5 per cent a year in the mid-1990s. About 35 per cent of the region's population is urban, compared with 43 per cent for the world as a whole. The region contains 13 of the 25 largest cities of the world. By 2015, some 903 million people in Asia are expected to live in cities with a population of more than 1 million (WRI/UNEP/ UNDP/WB, 1996).
The environmental stress generated by urbanization in the region has been categorized as relating to poverty and arising from economic growth and affluence. The rise of cities has been accompanied by a proliferation of slums and squatter settlements without access to basic infrastructure, clean water, and sanitation, with associated health risks. (See Table 2.5.) Further, the lack of basic infrastructure results in local environmental degradation. It is expected that a large share of the world's urban poor will continue to live in South Asia (WRI/UNEP/ UNDP/WB, 1996).
Environmental concerns resulting from the economic growth and affluence of urban areas include congestion; increasing air and water pollution; loss of productive agricultural land; loss of coastal habitats to conversion and land reclamation; overextraction of ground-water resources, resulting in land subsidence; and deforestation as a consequence of increased demand for construction timber.
The problems of urbanization are not confined to continental or large archipelagic states but also occur in small island states such as Maldives, Tuvalu, and Tonga, where in-migration to the capital islands has resulted in severe land and, in some instances, fresh-water shortages, and in hot spots of coastal pollution.
About 700 million tons of solid waste and 1,900 million tons of industrial waste are generated each year in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP, 1995a). Among the various subregions, East Asia generates the largest share of municipal solid waste. Broad calculations indicate that its share may increase to 60 per cent by the year 2000 because of the large population base and high economic growth rate (ESCAP, 1995a).
The key issues regarding solid waste management are the environmental health implications due to inadequate coverage of waste collection; improper storage prior to collection; and poor standards of disposal (ESCAP, 1995a). It is estimated that 30-50 per cent of municipal solid waste is uncollected (ESCAP, 1995a).
The disposal of domestic and industrial waste is given relatively low priority in many countries, with only around 70 per cent of the waste in urban municipal areas being collected and only some 5 per cent of this being treated (ESCAP, 1995b). Solid waste disposal is a particular problem in the small island states due to their limited land area; disposal areas have been used for land reclamation in some of these countries, resulting in contamination and pollution of surrounding coastal areas.
Extensive and reliable data on the generation of hazardous wastes in the region are not available. Rough estimates indicate that about 100 million tons are produced annually, with as much as 90 per cent generated in China and India (ESCAP, 1995a). About 60-65 per cent of these wastes end up in landfills; 5-10 per cent are dumped in the oceans; and only about 25 per cent are either incinerated or undergo physico-chemical treatment (ESCAP, 1995a). However, there is growing awareness in the region, especially in Japan, China, and India, about the detoxification of wastes and about immobilization by fabrication into bricks and other usable products (ESCAP, 1995a). Another issue of concern is wastes being brought into the region for disposal.
Wastewater disposal poses another problem. In many places, untreated domestic and industrial wastes are discharged directly into canals and rivers. Some Governments are in the process of taking measures to increase the treatment of wastewater. In 1992, about 68.6 per cent of industrial wastewater and 18.5 per cent of municipal wastewater generated in China was treated (WRI/UNEP/UNDP, 1994). The Government of Thailand has agreed in principle to establish a Central Waste Water Management Authority to consolidate policies and institutions to deal with this matter. The Government is also envisaging a role for private investments in setting up treatment plants (Government of Thailand, 1994). In Singapore, 36 industries were prosecuted in 1993 for discharging acidic effluents into the sewers (ASEAN, 1995). Singapore has significantly improved its facilities for handling wastes and is ensuring a stringent enforcement of standards.
With growing economic activities and consumerism, the quantity of solid wastes generated is growing rapidly. Furthermore, large quantities of industrial and hazardous wastes accompanying the expansion of industries that use chemicals in the region has exacerbated the waste management problem.
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