Waste management in the Philippines after a tropical storm

Metropolitan Manila was severely affected, as were five eastern municipalities and the provinces of Rizal and Laguna. A large quantity of mud had been washed into the city, the sewage system was submerged and waste of all kinds had to be evacuated. It was against this backdrop of natural disaster that UNICEF called on the Veolia Foundation, a stand-by partner since April 2008.

A Veoliaforce team with skills in waste collection was on site for nearly three weeks to assess waste disposal in the areas affected by the cyclones, with priority given to metropolitan Manila, in order to advise the seven NGOs working in the field on the problems of water, sanitation and hygiene.