The Project
In recent years there had been several strong typhoons that caused heavy destruction in Asia and the Pacific, such as Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which affected the Philippines, Vietnam, Mainland China, and Taiwan; Cyclone Winston in 2016, which affected Fiji and other South Pacific nations; and Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018, which affected the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and Mainland China.
Strong winds from the typhoon tore roofs, windows, doors, and walls off houses; broke trees and other vegetation; and littered wooden, metallic, plastic, and glass debris and waste across a large area. In some cases, hazardous materials, including hospital and industrial wastes, were also among the scattered wastes that needed to be collected and properly treated. Typhoons often result to flooding that make post-disaster waste management even more complicated.
Wastes can pose a serious threat to human health and safety. It is therefore necessary for coastal cities frequently affected by typhoons to have adequate capacity for post-disaster waste management. This project will contribute to this end via the provision of appropriate knowledge and training to government and non-government stakeholders. This project is being implemented in Lautoka City, Fiji and Makati City, Philippines with the support of five prominent universities.
The Donors
This project is generously funded by the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN), with additional financial support from the Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction (IDMR), a joint institute between Sichuan University (SCU) and Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU).
The Project Team
Principal Investigator: Glenn Fernandez (Philippines), Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction (IDMR), Sichuan University – Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China
Gretchen Kalonji (USA), Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction (IDMR), Sichuan University – Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China
Yuewei Ling (China), Sichuan University – Pittsburgh Institute, China
Mahmood Fayazi (Iran), Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction (IDMR), Sichuan University – Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China
Yuyan Chen (China), Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction (IDMR), Sichuan University – Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China
Mahesh Pradhan (Nepal), United Nations Environment International Environmental Technology Centre (UNEP-IETC), Japan [now with the UN Environment GPA – Ecosystems Division]
Qing Xu (China), United Nations Environment International Environmental Technology Centre (UNEP-IETC), Japan [now with UNICEF China]
Hongtao Wang (China), Associate Professor, UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD), Tongji University, China
Shalend Singh (Fiji), Chair of Pacific Regional Disaster Waste Management Technical Working Group, Lautoka City Council, Fiji
Misuzu Asari (Japan), Associate Professor, Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan
Sainimere Veitata (Fiji), Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan
Noralene Uy (Philippines), Department of Environmental Science, Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines [now with the International Recovery Platform]
Liza Velle Ramos (Philippines), Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Philippines
Maria Bianca Perez (Philippines), Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Philippines
Patrick Lawrence Alzona (Philippines), Quezon City Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department, Philippines
Post-Typhoon Disaster Waste Management 