The dark side of light: Managing non-biodegradable wastes in Bhutan' s rural areas

Abstract

While rural electrification brings economic, health, educational, and environmental benefits, it also creates persistent wastes that can have negative implications for human and environmental health. The rural development and environmental management intellectual communities have not worked together sufficiently to manage the non-biodegradable waste products of rural development. In the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan - a nation noted for its vast forests and positive environmental record - the most challenging wastes to manage are those that follow rural electrification: spent light bulbs and fluorescent lights, and small appliances. Based on 6 months of field research in Bhutan, this paper proposes a depot and circuit rider system for the management of non-biodegradable wastes in rural areas.