Mission

DUCOR's Participation in Liberias Solid Waste Management

Francis Nyepon founded DUCOR Waste Management in 2004 initially to assist peri-urban and rural communities address the seemingly intractable waste crisis. Francis' goal is to build not just a sustainable waste management organization setting the highest standard for performance but also a waste management organization that at the same time functions to advance employment, human rights and dignity, the general health of the population and the condition of the environment. In this mission of clear purpose and passion, Francis has tap like-minded and committed talent in Liberia and the United States to succeed in this broad and ambitious goal.

DUCOR's Progress:

2004	Founded and incorporated.
2005	Conducted a campaign to educate and promote proper waste collection, disposal and hygiene in the Sinkor Old Road Market area. The Project was funded by the European Commission.
2006	Removed stockpiles of rubbish and rotting garbage from the roadways and vacant lots in Careysburg City. Project funded by a quick impact grant from the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).
2007	Conducted on-the-ground assessment by a joint US/Liberian team of waste management and business experts along with government personnel and leadership from the association of markets. The team concentrated on the central Monrovia market of Rally Time and the surrounding communities of Lorma Quarter, Bernard Community and Soniewhein. On-going small scale clean-up collections in Sinkor neighborhoods.
2008	Continuation of work under the auspices and funding of the Swiss-based Collaborative Waste Group. Launch of operations in Rally Time.

DUCOR's Mission

Our mission is to build productive services and capacity to enhance sustainable human growth and development in Monrovia initially and then moving strategically throughout Liberia. DUCOR seeks to work with the government of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and local municipalities to address Liberia's solid waste crisis by creating a sustainable, environmentally sound waste management organization: One that provides safe employment for informal workers with living wages, health care and educational benefits.

Partnering with the Government to Reduce Poverty

Liberia's national government has developed an Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy and is actively engaged in post-conflict reconstruction. These initiatives are focused on reducing Liberia's devastating poverty.

• DUCOR is an ideal strategic partner for these efforts. It offers leadership in this vitally important area, which provides much-needed employment and training to repair the environment and enhance the government's redevelopment efforts.
• DUCOR and the government share the belief that before post-conflict development can be successful; the important role of women must be acknowledged and integrated into the country's post-conflict reconstruction. For DUCOR, this means giving women opportunities at all levels of management, including supervisory and operational positions;
• DUCOR and the IRC are currently working together to develop strategic partnerships with the national and municipal governments.

Building a Sustainable Solid Waste Management Organization

DUCOR provides sustainable solid waste management service in greater Monrovia by providing regular garbage collection and linking effective waste management to community health, poverty reduction and economic development. Regularizing collection, initiating programs in composting and recycling provides opportunities for employment and training including income generation for the informal workforce. DUCOR will provide sustainable solid waste management service through a phased implementation strategy. This strategy aims to regularize garbage collection, and link effective waste management to community health, poverty reduction, and economic development.

Initial Operations DUCOR will immediately focus on employment and infrastructure development by employing and training large numbers of Liberians to engage in source separation, collecting, transporting, composting and recycling trash.

DUCOR will organize local waste handlers and pushcart transporters into efficient waste removal teams to extract the maximum value from the waste stream and move the refuse to strategically managed temporary transfer sites. From there, DUCOR will transport the waste to managed landfills using large equipment. DUCOR is committed to 'legitimizing' the existing informal work force by providing safe working conditions, paying living wages and providing adequate healthcare and environmental education. As the organization and the infrastructure stabilize, DUCOR will begin to utilize more technology-intensive approaches and will focus on training more Liberians to grow with and manage the model and business that incorporates composting and recycling and eventually waste to energy conversion capability.

Rally Time Market DUCOR Team Abraham Sombully, Emmanuel Gono, John Kpardeh, Michael Simpson, Susan McIntosh and Francis Nyepon.

Proving and Scaling the Model

DUCOR will commence its operations in Rally Time, a public market community surrounded by various peri-urban communities in central Monrovia with approximately 70,000 residents. Working in collaboration with the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) and the Liberian Marketing Association (LMA), DUCOR will implement an integrated 'pay-as-you-throw' system that has proven successful in low and middle-income countries around the world. Success in this public market will position DUCOR to extend its program and services to additional areas of need, including adding of 2-3 markets in year two, and 3-4 markets in year three.

Rally Time Community Waste Management Assessment

With assistance from the international Collaborative Waste Group and the Hunt Alternatives Fund, DUCOR began a collaborative assessment of the waste management challenge in the Rally Time Market and surrounding communities. In June of 2007, a team of business, NGO and waste management experts from Liberia and the U.S. assessed the size of the waste management problem and current waste management capacity, interviewed and met with community and government organizations to understand their positions and beliefs about the solid waste management problems in the public markets of Monrovia. Based upon these assessments, the team developed a system for the appropriate removal and disposal of solid waste from Rally Time Market and the surrounding community. Below are our findings from the assessment and the requirements to develop an appropriate solution.

Rally Time Waste Assessment Findings

Waste Generation Rates (based on sampling).

Sources & Uses of Funds for Rally Time Market Operations

DUCOR and its team of experts have assessed the market community's requirements, waste generation rates and other factors required to operate a solid waste management system. The system requires the removal of waste from the site of generation to a professionally managed transfer station to the municipal permanent dumping site.

As part of the assessment, DUCOR has estimated the sources and uses of funds for operations at Rally Time Market. Uses of funds are primarily labor and related supplies while capital consists of heavy equipment, a transfer station structure (non-existent today) and office equipment. DUCOR anticipates the sources of funds will be generated by several sectors in the market community including the market vendors, the residences and businesses in the community. In addition, DUCOR anticipates receiving fees for services from the Municipal City Corporation of Monrovia for managing the municipal waste in the streets and public areas.

The Impact of Sustainable Waste Management

Reducing the waste crisis in public markets in Monrovia and Liberia would have a visible impact on sustainable local community development. DUCOR's success will create good-paying jobs, health benefits, environmental benefits, education and further opportunities for sustainable economic development.

Employment - DUCOR is focused on providing living wages to its employees and the informal network that supports the waste management industry in the country. DUCOR is committed to creating careers for the informal sector through advance training and other human development programs. DUCOR desires to develop benefits for its employees that may not currently be available, such as healthcare, career training, childcare and education for employees and their families.

Health - The elimination of waste stockpiles, effective collection and proper disposal decreases the growth and spread of many diseases by eliminating the breeding and spreading of pathogens and vectors that transmit deadly diseases, including reducing air, water and other pollution.

Environment - The environment will improve by removing waste from population centers and ultimately the proper treatment of that waste through disposal and recycling or otherwise maximizing the value of waste and minimizing the impact.

Economic Development - Not only is the public good served by the reduction of waste, the cost of solid waste services are minimized. Studies show that the private sector provides services for at least 20% less than public entities (Private sector participation in municipal solid waste management, Published by SKAT, Swiss Centre for Development Cooperation in Technology and Management, 2000). Further, clearing of the waste allows for more efficient rebuilding of the infrastructure and post-conflict reconstruction, increased pride of the citizens, reuse of materials in the economy, and increased attraction for business owners.

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