As of August 16, 2006, a new management takes office in the "Municipal Council of Constanza", its main objective being to create the technical, social and participatory bases that allow maximizing efficiency in the management of the resources available City Hall.
1. Presentation of the research
One of the main problems faced by any "Dominican" and Latin American city council is the "management" of solid waste in its territory, already an intrinsic part of the conflicts that every "Union" must face on a daily basis, the deficiency in the solid waste "cleaning, handling and deposit train" submerges building leaders in a series of processes that in very few cases have a happy ending!
Knowing this "eventuality" so common but socially, economically and technically suffocating, Mr. Joaquín Gómez Espinal, Constanza Municipal Union, through the Environmental Management Unit, asked the "Evolutionary Organic Planning School to carry out an investigation that allow to know objectively and reliably the valuation of the problem of solid waste management in the municipality of Constanza.
The research to be carried out will be carried out under three approaches of the EPOE:
- Using tools according to the psychosocial characteristics, in the present case the "Public Opinion Survey" under three sample layers; Collecting primary and secondary information, through participatory actions, such as meetings and micro-workshops, with community leaders, neighborhood associations and grassroots organizations; Analysis and feedback under consensus, in search of the empowerment of the structures of the city council and the civil society of Constanza.
Considering the previous points, a "research protocol" was developed in close coordination with the "Environmental Management Unit" (UGAM) led by Ing. José Eduardo Martínez (Dany), in order to outline the first draft of the framework of the Research, from this first step, following the guidelines of the EPOE to "evolved" giving as a product this document, which directly presents the general framework of the research to be developed.
The investigation process will take place over a period of 20 days, with 10 days for information collection actions, 06 days for processing, analysis and feedback and 04 days for drafting and feedback of the final report. In addition to 100% research activities and following the second approach, in coordination with the UGAM, meetings will be held with different community leaders, neighborhood councils and grassroots organizations, in order to establish social and community strategies that efficiently manage and collection of garbage.
Product of the investigation process, the City Council will have information regarding:
- Volumetry of garbage production by home, neighborhood, community and municipality; Cost of handling, collection, transportation and deposit of garbage in the municipality; Critical geographic areas for production and management of solid waste; Identification of strategies for the development of an education plan and environmental awareness; Determination of the media as a tool for dissemination, education and awareness about the benefits of proper waste management, such as its respective payment to the municipal council; Development of models (pilot plans) of strategic alliances between "boards of neighbors ”and the“ municipal council ”for handling and collection of garbage service.
The previous framework is developed within the legal and administrative structure of the municipal council, considering for this the Constitution of the Dominican Republic establishes in Articles 82 and 85 the general guidelines on the formation and operation of the Town Halls. Also in Art. 31 of Law 3455 of December 21. 1952, on Municipal Organization are defined as the entities in charge of "carrying out economic-administrative functions to order, regulate and resolve whatever is necessary or convenient to satisfy the needs of the municipality and its greater well-being, prosperity and culture." In this law, 63 functions are conferred on the City Council, among which are those of providing the Municipality with hygiene, transportation, water supply services, among others.
In compliance with these provisions, most of the city councils in the country have a Cleaning Department that is in charge of collecting municipal waste, including waste from hospitals, shops and industries. In coordination with the Department of Cleaning and sometimes unified, the Department of Decoration works, which is responsible for the maintenance and cleaning of green areas, parks and monuments.
It also joins the work of the Cleaning Department, the Transportation Department, in charge of the control and maintenance of all City Hall vehicles, including those assigned to the garbage service. The waste management carried out by most of the city councils in the country is basically made up of the stages of home and commercial collection, street sweeping, cleaning service in special areas and final disposal in landfills.
Community participation integrated into development projects, and in this case in solid waste management, is generally unsatisfactory for the municipality of Constanza. Most of the constancers are not linked to the municipal solid waste management service, showing a weak and poorly formed participation. As good practices are not promoted, citizens have not learned to handle their garbage properly. In a large proportion of the houses, shops, traditional agriculture and agro-industries in Constanza. They do not pay for the garbage collection service. This is due to the fact that to a large extent it is considered that the problem belongs solely to the city council, consequently, the attitude regarding the payment of the service is negative.
2. Description of the investigation
The project seeks to make the garbage collection service more efficient while optimizing the collection for said service, based on the co-management of the city council-civil society to generate a process of citizen involvement and awareness from permanent educational action.
The project consists of three phases:
Phase 1: structuring phase.
Phase 2: data collection in the field.
Phase 3: information analysis.
Research time:
20 calendar days divided into:
- 10 calendar days for field research. 06 calendar days for cabinet analysis and feedback. 04 calendar days for research review and approval.
Responsable
Ph.D. Marvin Melgar Ceballos
School of Evolutionary Organic Planning (EPOE)
Supervision and technical support
Ing. José Eduardo Martínez
Head of the Municipal Management Unit (UGAM)
Geographical area of the investigation
The investigation will be carried out in the central area of the Municipality, peri-urban neighborhoods and rural communities where the council will collect solid waste.
Research beneficiary population
The population with settlement in the urban, peri-urban and rural areas of the municipality of Constanza.
3. Justification of the investigation
Due to the accelerated growth and without planning of the urban center of Constanza, moreover, cultural habits have caused the population to be exposed to a greater amount of garbage every day and that the city council dedicates an enormous amount of economic and human resources in the management of a problem that is bigger every day, which consequently translates into a decrease in the quality of life of this.
Traditionally, the solution to the garbage problem has been the sole responsibility of the city council, with little or no support from other sectors of society, however, the effect of garbage falls on everyone who in one way or another lives in the town.
If the municipal council manages an adequate management of the garbage problem and we have the support of all the inhabitants of the municipality, the council will be able to meet other demands of the population with greater efficiency.
The research is carried out in order to identify those points that make the garbage problem the main service to which the city council dedicates itself in order to make it more efficient and less expensive.
4. Project objectives
4.1 General objective
• Establish the “baseline” on the production of garbage at the central, peri-urban and rural areas, as well as the psychosocial attitude of the population regarding the management, collection, transport and deposit of solid waste in the municipality of Constanza.
4.2 Specific objectives
- Determine the volume of garbage production at the household, neighborhood and community level per day, week and month; Identify the psychosocial perception of homes and businesses located in the central, peri-urban and rural areas, on the garbage collection service carried out by the Municipal Council of Constanza; Establish the critical points at the central, peri-urban and rural area where the accumulation of solid waste has the greatest impact; Know the real costs at the municipal, neighborhood, community and household levels of solid waste management by metric ton, Identify the proposals for actions to coordinate and implement solid waste management and collection strategies with “Neighborhood Councils” and / or “Grassroots Organizations”;Considering the results of the investigation and its respective analysis, outline the actions of education and environmental awareness, establishing the strategies of social approach, as well as the means of communication to be used to be operationalized.
5. Results of the investigation
At the end of the investigation, the Constanza Municipal Council and the Environmental Management Unit (UGAM) will obtain the following products:
- Result of the “Public Opinion Survey” (SOP) on the perception of the management, collection, transport and deposit of solid waste in the municipality of Constanza; Effectively determine the “volume” of garbage production per household, neighborhood, community, also establishing in parallel the cost per cubic meter (metric ton) of garbage that the city council incurs for its generic management; Develop the database (baseline) that allows monitoring by the "Municipal Council" and "Unit of Environmental Management ”(UGAM) the“ strategies ”of environmental awareness and education that should be implemented in the short term to encourage members of society to collaborate in the solid waste management processes and payment to the city council for the service;Identify the "critical areas" where the production and collection of garbage exceeds the capacities of the municipal council and therefore specific models must be implemented for its management; Define the "lines of action" that the council must develop to integrate the " Juntas de Vecinos "and" Base Organizations ", in order to make them co-participate in processes of management and collection of solid waste; Outline" specific strategies "to achieve collection and management of garbage to specific sectors of society civil such as businesses, agricultural companies and / or grocery stores Determine the points of placement of "garbage cans" to be installed in the operational phase of this research process;
6. Implementation strategy
The research project will be operationalized in three geographic sectors:
- Central area of the Municipality of Constanza; Five standard “peri-urban” neighborhoods; Two standard rural communities;
In each geographic sector the following data collection processes will be developed:
• Form 1 "Standard homes of neighborhoods and communities"
- 300 forms for the central area of the Municipality of Constanza; 100 forms in each of the standard periurban neighborhoods; 100 forms in each of the standard rural communities.
• Form 2 "Large, medium and small businesses"
- 050 forms for the central area of the Municipality of Constanza; 025 forms in each of the standard periurban neighborhoods; 025 forms in each of the standard rural communities.
• Form 3 "Survey of household and commerce of volumetric waste production"
In each sector, 06 sampling points will be installed (residences, commercial establishments, educational centers, and others) where the amount of garbage that is produced daily will be measured, for a period of 7 days (one week) starting on a Monday with the end to conclude on the Sunday of the corresponding week.
- Choice of sampling points: Once the area to be studied has been selected, ten different locations (or those deemed convenient) that are representative or of special interest in the area are chosen as measurement points. These location points can be represented in a sketch. Data collection: Data collection is carried out by weighing daily the amount of garbage at each sampling point. The value obtained will help us to determine the amount of garbage that is generated by sector.
7. Tangible products of the investigation process
The "School of Evolutionary Organic Planning" will deliver to the "City Council of Constanza and the Environmental Management Unit (UGAM)", the following tangible products:
- Final report of the research process containing the database product of the Public Opinion Survey, the corresponding statistical analysis, identification of critical areas, strategies for linking with neighborhood councils, categorization by social and geographical sector of collection of garbage, lines of action for the implementation of environmental awareness and education; Digital and printed database on results by geographic sector of volumetry and solid waste management costs; For each measurement point a results sheet is made. The results will allow us to implement strategies that lead to more efficient management and collection of garbage in the municipality; Photographic archive of participatory actions, research process,Critical areas and representative frameworks of the solid waste management problem and solutions of the municipality of Constanza At the "annex" level, proposals will be made for resolutions to be considered for approval by the "chapter house" of the Municipality of Constanza.
8. Human resources necessary for its implementation
Human resources of the "School of Evolutionary Organic Planning" (EPOE)
- 01 Expert in territorial planning, management, development and operationalization of projects; 06 Paratechnics for data collection of forms 1, 2 and 3.01 Digitizer for data processing.
Human resources for the supervision, technical and logistical support of the Constanza municipal council
- 01 In charge of the Environmental Management Unit (UGAM); 02 Paratechnicians of the UGAM to collect forms 1, 2 and 3.01 Secretarial support of the UGAM.
9. Budget research phase
Table 1: Operating Budget requested by the "Evolutionary Organic Planning School" (EPOE)
|
Not. |
Heading |
Units |
Unit cost (RD $) |
Total cost |
|
one |
Sacks |
40 |
15.00 |
600.00 |
|
two |
Balances |
02 |
2,600.00 |
5,200.00 |
|
3 |
Disposable gloves) |
fifty |
6.00 |
300.00 |
|
4 |
Expendable Materials EPOE |
01 |
0.00 |
600.00 |
|
5 |
Paratechnicians for interview |
6 per./10 days |
150.00 |
9,000.00 |
|
6 |
Transport logistics |
01 |
0.00 |
2,000.00 |
|
7 |
Typing machine |
06 |
150.00 |
900.00 |
|
8 |
Analysis and writing of information |
01 |
0.00 |
2,000.00 |
| Full investigation phase |
20,600.00 |
Table 2: Administrative Budget provided by the "Constanza Municipal Council"
|
Not. |
Heading |
Units |
Unit cost (RD $) |
Total cost |
|
one |
Expendable material (stationery, envelopes, folders, CD`s, etc.) |
01 |
0.00 |
3,000.00 |
|
two |
Reproduction of investigation forms. |
1500 |
2.00 |
3,000.00 |
|
3 |
Transportation of interviewers |
01 |
0.00 |
2,000.00 |
|
4 |
Printing of technical sheets |
01 |
0.00 |
500.00 |
|
5 |
UGAM technicians |
02 |
3,000.00 |
6,000.00 |
|
6 |
Playback of final report |
04 |
500.00 |
2,000.00 |
| Full investigation phase |
16,500.00 |
Table 3: General budget of the project
|
Not. |
Heading |
Units |
Unit cost (RD $) |
Total cost |
|
one |
EPOE operating budget |
01 |
0.00 |
20,600.00 |
|
two |
Administrative budget |
01 |
0.00 |
16,500.00 |
| Investigation phase total |
37,100.00 |
