About this course: Have you come across large piles of garbage in neighborhoods and streets, or smelly waste disposal sites polluting the environment of low and middle income countries? Are you also convinced that improvements are necessary and do you want to know what kind of sustainable solutions are appropriate to better manage waste and enhance recycling and recovery? If yes, this course is for you! This course provides an overview of the municipal solid waste management situation in developing countries covering key elements of the waste management system, with its technical, environmental, social, financial and institutional aspects. Besides understanding the challenges you will learn about appropriate and already applied solutions through selected case studies. The course also covers strategic planning and policy issues discussing future visions for waste management and the aspect of a circular and green economy. Considering the importance of the organic waste fraction, the course covers several organic waste treatment technology options such as composting, anaerobic digestion, and some other innovative approaches. MOOC SERIES “SANITATION, WATER AND SOLID WASTE FOR DEVELOPMENT” This course is one of four in the series “Sanitation, Water and Solid Waste for Development". Please visit the course page for more information.

Created by: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Taught by: Dr. Christian Zurbrügg
Sanitation, Water and Solid Waste for Development / Eawag
Taught by: Imanol Zabaleta
Sanitation, Water and Solid Waste for Development / Eawag
Taught by: Félix Schmidt
Sanitary Engineering, Water and Waste Management / EPFL

Commitment	5 weeks of study, 1-2 hours/week
Language	English, Subtitles: French, Spanish
How To Pass	Pass all graded assignments to complete the course.
User Ratings	4.8 stars Average User Rating 4.8See what learners said

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Week 1: Introduction to Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries

The course begins with an overview of the current waste situation in developing countries. We will introduce the Integrated Sustainable Waste Management (ISWM) framework that provides a general overview of SWM systems and will guide us though this course. The ...

12 videos, 4 readings

WEEK 2

Week 2: Introduction to Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries

In the second week, the course will focus on the governance aspects also referred as the “soft” aspects of a municipal solid waste management (MSWM) system. The different stakeholders and their roles and responsibilities will be explained as well as legislativ...

10 videos, 2 readings

Graded: Week 1&2

WEEK 3

Week 3: Organic waste treatment technologies

The third week will focus on the treatment of organic waste. In this week you will learn the basics of two very common organic waste treatment technologies: composting and anaerobic digestion. Study case examples will be presented as well as some practical exe...

10 videos, 2 readings

WEEK 4

Week 4: Organic waste treatment technologies

Week four will continue with an introduction to other organic waste treatment technologies. Although currently less common in practice, the treatment by vermicomposting, Black Solider Fly larvae or options of thermochemical conversion are explained and their p...

6 videos, 2 readings

Graded: Week 3&4

WEEK 5

Week 5: Assessment and planning methods for Solid Waste Management

During the last week, the modules will focus more on strategic aspects of MSWM. Methods on how to integrate organic waste management into the municipal SWM system will be explained. Furthermore a standardized method to evaluate and compare systems with regard ...

5 videos, 2 readings

Graded: Final exam

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