How the UN Supported Cleaner Urban Growth in Mazar-i-Sharif

Mazar-i-Sharif is one of Afghanistan’s largest urban centres and the capital of Balkh province. Its position in the north makes it an important trading, transport and cultural hub, while continuing population growth places pressure on roads, drainage, housing and public services. Waste management is part of this wider urban challenge: rubbish must be collected, streets kept usable, and disposal managed in ways that protect health and the local environment.

The United Nations’ work in Afghanistan has often connected city planning, local governance, public health and community participation. In Mazar-i-Sharif, support for urban services has been relevant to the practical work of municipal authorities and neighbourhoods, including the handling of household refuse and other solid waste. This is less a story of a single landfill or collection fleet than of the systems required to make a growing city cleaner and more resilient.

The UN70 “Strong UN. Strong Afghanistan.” campaign presented Afghan people and their contributions, alongside messages from UN leaders, photographs and stories from across the country. The campaign website is now an archived record rather than an active programme portal. It provides useful context for understanding the UN’s partnership approach, but current information about waste services, funding or municipal operations should be checked with present-day authorities and humanitarian agencies.

Why Waste Matters In Mazar-i-Sharif

Urban waste is a visible sign of how well a city’s basic systems are functioning. When rubbish is left beside roads, in open spaces or near waterways, it can block drainage, attract animals and insects, create unpleasant odours and increase exposure to injury or disease. Burning waste in the open air can add smoke and hazardous particles to neighbourhoods, especially when plastics, rubber or mixed household materials are involved.

Mazar-i-Sharif’s dry climate does not remove these risks. Wind can carry lightweight packaging across streets and vacant land, while seasonal rain can move waste into drains and low-lying areas. Food scraps, ash, dust, construction debris and commercial packaging create different management problems. A practical municipal service needs to understand where each type of waste is generated, how often it accumulates and which disposal method is affordable and safe.

The city’s economic life adds another layer. Markets, shops, workshops, schools, health facilities and homes produce different waste streams. Fruit and vegetable sellers may generate organic material, retailers may use cardboard and plastic wrapping, and building activity may produce rubble and soil. If all of these materials are mixed at the point of disposal, collection becomes harder and any opportunity to recover useful materials is reduced.

For residents, reliable collection is tied to dignity and trust. People are more likely to use a designated collection point when it is nearby, affordable, regularly serviced and protected from overflow. Municipal waste management therefore involves behaviour, infrastructure and public administration at the same time.

The UN Partnership With Local Institutions

UN support in Afghan cities has generally been built around cooperation with national and local institutions rather than replacing them. Urban programmes may help authorities assess service needs, improve planning, strengthen community links and develop practical systems for neighbourhoods. In waste management, that can include mapping collection routes, identifying disposal sites, considering equipment requirements and clarifying responsibilities between city departments.

UN-Habitat has been associated internationally with urban governance, inclusive planning and support for local authorities. Other parts of the UN system may contribute through public health, water and sanitation, livelihoods, emergency response or environmental work. The exact role depends on the programme and period involved. It is important not to describe the UN as the permanent operator of Mazar-i-Sharif’s waste service; the long-term responsibility rests with Afghan institutions and municipal structures.

Community engagement is central to this model. Residents understand which alleys are difficult to access, where informal dumping occurs and what collection arrangements are realistic for households. Women, shopkeepers, youth groups, elders and people living in poorer neighbourhoods can identify barriers that may not appear in a technical survey. Including those perspectives makes a sanitation plan more likely to work beyond a pilot project.

The “Strong UN. Strong Afghanistan.” campaign reflects this partnership principle. Its focus on Afghan people and local contributions places communities at the centre of development work. Applied to urban cleanliness, the message is straightforward: external assistance can provide expertise, coordination or resources, but a durable service depends on Afghan leadership, municipal capacity and everyday participation.

From Collection To Safe Disposal

A functioning solid waste system is a chain. It begins with storage at homes and businesses, continues through collection and transport, and ends with sorting, recycling, treatment or disposal. A weakness at any stage can undermine the others. Providing bins without regular collection may encourage overflow, while buying vehicles without a maintenance budget can leave the fleet idle.

For Mazar-i-Sharif, a realistic approach would need to match equipment and routes to local streets. Narrow lanes may require handcarts or smaller vehicles before rubbish is transferred to larger trucks. Busy market areas may need more frequent collection than residential streets. Collection schedules should account for trading hours, religious and cultural practices, seasonal conditions and the safety of workers.

Disposal sites also require planning. Open dumping can expose nearby communities to smoke, unstable waste piles and contaminated runoff. A managed disposal area needs controlled access, basic site supervision, measures to reduce windblown litter and a plan for protecting water and surrounding land. Where resources permit, the city can progressively separate recoverable materials and organic waste before final disposal.

Waste workers deserve attention in their own right. Gloves, boots, masks, tools, training and safe handling procedures reduce injuries and exposure. Informal recyclers may already recover cardboard, metals or plastics from streets and disposal areas. Treating them as part of the local economy, rather than ignoring them, can improve material recovery while supporting safer working conditions and fairer livelihoods.

Lessons From Australian Cities

Australian cities show how ordinary household habits depend on a sizeable public system. In Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, many households place rubbish and recycling into separate council bins, often according to a published collection calendar. Residents may take glass, garden organics, electronic goods or hazardous chemicals to dedicated facilities rather than putting them in general waste. These arrangements make separation familiar, although contamination remains a continuing issue.

Australia also demonstrates that legislation and market incentives shape waste services. Councils operate within state and territory environmental laws, planning rules, workplace safety requirements and public health obligations. In New South Wales, waste activities are regulated through the Protection of the Environment Operations framework, while Victoria’s waste and recycling reforms have placed stronger emphasis on a circular economy. Rules differ across jurisdictions, yet the basic lesson is consistent: collection and disposal require enforceable standards, funding and accountability.

Everyday habits are connected to the local market. Supermarkets, takeaway businesses and online retailers generate large volumes of packaging, while households make choices about reusable bags, refillable containers and food waste. Australia’s product stewardship schemes and the Australian Packaging Covenant encourage producers and businesses to reduce packaging impacts, but councils still manage much of the material that reaches household bins. The value of cardboard, aluminium and some plastics can support recycling markets, while mixed or contaminated materials are harder to sell.

There are useful comparisons with Mazar-i-Sharif, but they should not be treated as a template to copy. Australian councils have more established collection fleets, formal landfill regulation and greater access to engineered facilities. Afghanistan’s cities may face tighter budgets, disrupted supply chains, limited equipment and different housing patterns. The transferable principle is gradual system building: clear responsibilities, realistic collection routes, public information, worker protection and investment that can be maintained locally.

Australian residents can also see why cleanliness is a shared responsibility. A kerbside bin only works when households use the correct bin, keep recyclables reasonably clean and avoid placing batteries or chemicals in general rubbish. Councils, businesses and state governments must provide the infrastructure and rules, but daily decisions affect the cost and performance of the service.

Building A Practical Urban Waste Strategy

A sustainable programme for Mazar-i-Sharif would begin with evidence. Municipal teams and partners could measure the amount and type of waste produced in different districts, record illegal dumping points, review existing vehicles and identify neighbourhoods with the weakest service. This information would help direct limited funds towards high-impact improvements instead of spreading resources too thinly.

The next step would be a service model that residents can understand. Collection points should be visible and accessible, schedules should be communicated through trusted local channels, and complaints should have a clear route to municipal staff. Signs, schools, mosques, markets and community meetings can reinforce messages about keeping waste out of drains and using designated sites. Public education works best when the service itself is dependable.

Organic waste deserves particular attention because food and market waste can form a substantial part of municipal rubbish. Composting may be possible at an appropriate scale if contamination is controlled and there is a reliable use for the finished material. Cardboard, metals and selected plastics can be recovered where buyers and transport links exist. These activities can create income, yet they require realistic price assumptions and safeguards for people who sort waste.

Financing is the less visible foundation. Fuel, spare parts, wages, protective equipment, vehicle repairs and site management all have recurring costs. A donor-funded truck can help immediately, but a city needs a plan for operating it after the project ends. Transparent budgeting, coordination between agencies and gradual strengthening of municipal revenue can make improvements more durable.

Climate and environmental risks should be included from the beginning. Better drainage protection can reduce blockage during heavy rain, while reducing open burning can improve local air quality. Waste sites should be kept away from sensitive water sources where possible, and planning should consider future urban expansion. These measures connect waste management with broader goals for healthier neighbourhoods and safer urban growth.

The UN’s contribution is most valuable when it helps bring these elements together: technical advice, partnerships, community participation and attention to vulnerable groups. The ultimate measure is not the number of workshops held or vehicles purchased. It is whether residents experience cleaner public spaces, workers have safer conditions, and local institutions can maintain the service with growing independence.

The archived UN Afghanistan campaign offers a reminder that national progress is expressed through local effort. Afghan municipal staff, community members, traders, workers and families all influence the condition of Mazar-i-Sharif’s streets. Readers in Australia can support informed international cooperation by following reliable UN Afghanistan updates, learning how urban waste systems are governed, and using local council services responsibly. Sharing accurate information and backing practical partnerships helps keep attention on the people and institutions working for healthier cities.