Bins in the Kathmandu Valley may fill up faster than usual this week. Waste services are expected to be disrupted over Dashain, and residents are being asked to hold on to their rubbish for a few days.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) says operations at the Banchare Danda landfill will be affected from October 18 to 21 (Kartik 1 to 4, 2083 BS).
Sanitation workers will take leave to celebrate the festival. On days outside that period, KMC says regular waste management will continue.
Collecting waste from homes is not the same as disposing of it at the landfill. A disrupted disposal site can affect collection, but arrangements may differ by municipality and by service provider.
What KMC is asking residents to do
- Separate biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste.
- Keep rubbish inside your home, office or business compound until services resume.
- Do not dump waste on roadsides, riverbanks, open spaces or public squares.
Food waste is the main concern. If left uncovered, it can smell and attract insects or rodents. Keeping it apart from dry waste, in a covered container, makes short-term storage easier.
Why it matters
Dashain means family gatherings, cooking, shopping and celebrations, all of which produce food waste and packaging. When collection and disposal stop at the same time, rubbish can build up in homes, shops and dense neighbourhoods.
Sanitation workers also deserve festival leave. The real question is how a predictable holiday can be planned for so that essential services do not collapse.
Background: the landfill’s role
Banchare Danda serves as the Valley’s final disposal site, so its schedule shapes collection across the area. That is why even a short pause can ripple through municipal services.
