Seeking eco-friendly solutions for solid waste in humanitarian aid efforts

What type of waste arises from humanitarian aid?

Marie: It can be any packaging material – for instance, medicine boxes, sachets of therapeutic food for malnourished children, and packaging for hygiene products or bags from food distribution. It can be construction material when renovating schools or toilets, or electronic and technical waste (e.g., temporary infrastructure like solar panels and batteries that wear out over time). And then we create a lot of waste just by having an office, employees, and all the massive logistics in a country. Humanitarian organisations must import some things by plane and move them from warehouse to warehouse, and sometimes things must be recounted and repacked along the way. We print banners and papers used in training, and we used to give out water in plastic bottles at events.

Anna: There are essentially three categories of waste: things we distribute to help people, which later become waste; then there's all the packaging - plastics, paper, etc. - in which we pack humanitarian aid; and the third type is operational waste from offices and cars. This includes those at the humanitarian crisis site and our headquarters in Prague. A newer trend in humanitarian aid is giving people cash to choose what they need. But even this generates waste. People buy and consume things – food leaves organic waste, medicine leaves packaging, and so on. In fact, it's often impossible to distinguish what is and isn't humanitarian aid waste, because humanitarian and local waste get mixed after disposal, or people buy things, food, and services in the local market with financial aid. It's essentially the same issue, so we're trying to figure out how to prevent and process material waste in a humanitarian context.

Are there any waste processing options in these countries?

Marie: We can't apply our European standards to places that don't have the same infrastructure as ours. Even if we sorted plastics in our office and had marked bins, it's pointless if there's nowhere to dispose of the plastic and no way to process it. Likely, this won't change anytime soon. They're dealing with issues other than environmental pollution. That's why it's crucial to prevent waste production and focus on materials that decompose easily.

Anna: In the Democratic Republic of Congo, we pay a company to collect waste from our office, but we can't guarantee where it ends up because there isn't sufficient infrastructure nearby, such as a landfill that would comply with environmental and safety standards. There are good examples of waste processing in Congo, but they only deal with waste on a small scale. For instance, Briquette du Kivu collects organic waste from a few thousand households and our office in Bukavu, converting it into eco-briquettes that they sell, but that's not a systemic solution.

What exactly are we trying to do with our partner organisations in the Bio4HUMAN project?

Marie: The entire project is theoretical research. Its goal is to propose innovative bio-based solutions that could improve the waste situation in humanitarian contexts. The results will be presented to donors, governments, companies, experts, and other NGOs—everyone who could use and implement them. Perhaps a company might take this on, seeing a business opportunity in waste processing.

What is People in Need's role?

Marie: Although it's a research project, the role of someone with direct practical experience who understands the context of a complex humanitarian crisis is crucial. We and our partner organisation, Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH), fill this role. We focus on the Democratic Republic of Congo, while they work in South Sudan – we have a long-term presence in both countries, established contacts, and a good understanding of the local environment. We collaborate on the Bio4HUMAN project with other partners – experts from the biological sector and circular economy specialists. However, these partners often lack experience with humanitarian contexts, so they don’t always consider what specific waste problems can arise in the field. They lack the practical perspective and insight into the needs of local people. For example, we know that a solution that looks great and makes sense in European conditions wouldn't work in Congo. We can also identify local solutions – that is, what people already use on a smaller scale but have the potential for broader application. For instance, we know how small household biogas plants work in Zambia and Angola, converting organic waste into fertiliser and cooking gas.

Do we have any tangible outputs yet?

Anna: We have completed research focused on the needs of the humanitarian sector in waste management in the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. We've identified the main problems associated with waste in these locations – for example, to what extent unresolved waste burdens local communities, how high the risk of contamination is, and how bio-based solutions could be used to mitigate them. At the same time, we've found how inadequate the waste infrastructure and management system are in the locations we're monitoring, and to what extent humanitarian organisations are truly addressing this problem, or conversely, not addressing it. Following the initial research, we identified weaknesses and opportunities related to the previously identified problems, pre-selected several potentially suitable bio-based solutions, and assessed their life cycle. We now have approximately 30 pre-selected solution proposals and are determining which ones are viable in the humanitarian context of DR Congo and South Sudan. These are such complex countries that if they prove effective here, they should work almost anywhere. We further consult these theoretical solutions with colleagues from the humanitarian sector, local organisations, experts, and communities. We are gradually gathering feedback from them. We are determining whether these solutions are culturally and socially acceptable and economically sustainable, and whether suitable infrastructure exists in the given country for their production and implementation.

What solutions look promising?

Marie: We already mentioned biogas plants, and we are currently testing different types and approaches. We are also researching improved biodegradable packaging made from corn or special mushrooms. These materials can replace plastic. Insulation material from sheep's wool also appears promising.

Anna: I also recall menstrual pads made from natural materials, which are already used in India and have business potential. Local women could produce and sell them directly. Or there's the black soldier fly, whose larvae can decompose organic waste and convert it into fertiliser. They can eat four times their own weight daily, which means this solution can be applied to large amounts of waste. At the same time, these larvae can be used to feed livestock.

Marie: The project runs until June 2026, so we still have some time. However, it's already clear that this research is enriching and meaningful.

About the project:
Bio4HUMAN is a key project funded by the Horizon Europe program of the European Union, focusing on finding bio-based solutions to solid waste management problems in humanitarian settings. Its main goal is to provide humanitarian organisations and biotechnology stakeholders with an overview of solutions that could be practically applicable in various humanitarian contexts. Bio4HUMAN aims to address the growing waste problem in humanitarian crises through innovative approaches, technologies, and systems based on natural principles and biological processes. The project connects humanitarian actors, biotechnology experts, and circular economy specialists. The shared goal is to test specific solutions in practice, in two African countries that have long received humanitarian aid: South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.