Due to Lack Of Resources, the National Waste Management Plan Does Not Involve All Provinces
<p>A report by the Auditor General's Office said that the initiative does not have the necessary resources to promote the treatment of waste. From 2,400 municipalities only 158 were assisted. The management responsible for implementing the Plan has "no criteria" for selecting which projects receive the funds, nor controls the projects that were already financed.</p>
According to the General Audit Office (AGN, for its acronym in Spanish), the National Strategy for the Integrated Management of Urbans Solid Waste (ENGIRSU) does not have the resources necessary for the proper treatment of waste. The office report notes that while "the achievement of its objectives depends on the common intergovernmental agreement," the ENGIRSU still could not reach that instance.
The bad treatment of waste is a problem that causes serious harm to people and the environment. It is the reason why the program includes in its objectives the reduction of waste generated by residential, institutional, commercial and public space sanitation, maximizing recycling practices and the closure of open space dumps.
According to the report, prepared on data from 2006-2008 and approved last year "by the Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development (SAyDS), the nation assumes the principal commitment to implement the Strategy" with the idea to achieve their goals in 2025. For this, it supports with advice and funding the various municipal or provincial plans.
Regarding to the diffusion and implementation of the program, the AGN noted that in 2400 municipalities throughout the country, only 158 managed to attend and, as expressed by their own authorities, "the Secretary operates only when a municipality requests technical or financial advice.
At the same time, the Audit explained that from the objectives expressed, "SAyDS considered the Strategy as a guide for their actions, but did not strictly follow it to the level of fulfillment of its phases."
Since 2006, through Decree No. 1919, and within the scope of the Secretary of Environment, the National Direction of Institutional Articulation (INAD) acquires capability to plan and execute the ENGIRSU. However, according to the report, the DNAI has "no selection criteria for financial assistance for projects submitted and there are no records to control those who were already assisted.
The work of the audit leaves record of two cases: "During the audited period, as part of the programs Cities Recovered and Sustainable Municipality (both related to the management of urban solid waste), it was observed that from a total of 128 files, only 44 received technical and financial assistance, and only transferred almost all of the funding to the province of Cordoba.
Finally, the AGN again noted that "the treatment and disposal of waste requires a federal environmental program, to be developed through the SAyDS with the agreement of the provincial and municipal governments." And clarifies that yet, nationwide, there is no common guide to regulate technical aspects of the management of urban solid waste."
A Granted Financial Support without Execution
In 2006, money was requested from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (BIRF) to finance the National Project for Integrated Solid Waste Management (ProNaGIRSU). While, at the end of the AGN report, much of the actions should have been executed, only two are active from a total of 18 scheduled, "and the rest is in the process of hiring or there were no expressions of interest," said the Watchdog.