The Royal Audit Authority (RAA) has tabled the Performance Audit Report on the Waste Prevention and Management System during the Fifth Session of the Fourth Parliament.

The audit assessed whether the Government has established and operationalised an adequate ecosystem and supporting mechanisms for the efficient and effective management of municipal solid waste and e-waste in accordance with the Waste Prevention and Management Act 2009 and in support of the national aspiration of achieving “Zero Waste Bhutan by 2030.”

The audit covered waste management interventions implemented across the country by the Department of Environment and Climate Change and other agencies mandated under the legal and institutional framework.

The audit found that although Bhutan has established a comprehensive legal and institutional framework for waste management, its implementation remains constrained by weak institutional coordination, inadequate mainstreaming of waste management functions, limited human resource capacity, weak waste data systems, and ineffective waste prevention mechanisms. Operational challenges were also observed in waste collection, recovery, recycling, treatment, and disposal systems, including inadequate infrastructure, underdeveloped recovery facilities, and continued reliance on landfill-based waste disposal.

To address these issues, the RAA has issued 13 recommendations aimed at strengthening governance and coordination mechanisms, enhancing institutional capacity, improving waste prevention and reduction measures, promoting recovery and recycling systems, and ensuring environmentally sound waste management practices.

The report is expected to support relevant agencies in addressing systemic gaps and improving the effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of waste prevention and management interventions in the country.

The report is available on the Royal Audit Authority website. Click here to view the Peformance Audit Report.