Alliances in urban environmental management : a proces analysis for indicators and contributions to sustainable development in urban SWM

Based on the case studies of four cities in developing countries, this paper examines the contributions that alliances in urban solid waste management systems can make to the quality of life by improving effective provision of this urban basic service. The main types of alliances formed around SWM activities (including formal collection, transportation and disposal as well as informal collection, trade, re-use and recycling) are investigated. These include public–private, public–community, community–private and private–private alliances.

In (solid) waste management there are many actors active. All these actors have roles and responsibilities that influence to a more or lesser extend the performance and the sustainability of the waste management system in the cities concerned. Some of these actors work closely together, others do not. Their alliances are based on family, ethnic or religious ties; some of them are based on socio-economic dependency, while others work together on pure business grounds. An inventory has been made of the stakeholders present, what roles these stakeholders play, what alliances exist between them and in what way these alliances contribute to the sustainability of the waste system.
It appears that alliances between local authorities and large enterprises lie mainly in the area of improved disposal, cleaner neighbourhoods and financial viability. In contrast, alliances between local authorities, NGOs or CBOs and through them informal trade and recycling enterprises contribute more heavily to financial viability, employment, and cleaner urban neighbourhoods, as well as greater re-use and recycling of waste fractions.