In a move designed to strengthen the capital’s burgeoning circular economy, Thimphu officially opened two state-of-the-art community waste drop-off centres in the neighborhoods of Kelki and Hejo on May 23. Valued at roughly USD 140,000, these facilities are the result of a landmark public-private partnership aimed at modernizing waste segregation and recycling infrastructure across the city.
Standing gleaming under the spring sun, the Kelki centre features separate bays for plastics, paper, metals and organic waste, while its counterpart in Hejo adds a dedicated e-waste collection bay. Both sites are equipped with clear signage and user-friendly access points to encourage householders and small businesses to sort their refuse before disposal.
“By bringing recycling closer to where people live, we’re making it simpler for citizens to contribute to Thimphu’s sustainability goals,” said a spokesperson for the municipal waste management authority at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. She noted that improving source-separation rates is crucial for reducing the volume of waste sent to landfills and for supplying local recycling enterprises with higher-quality materials.
The project, jointly financed by the city government and a consortium of private investors, demonstrates a growing recognition in Bhutan that economic growth must go hand in hand with environmental stewardship. Initial estimates suggest that, once fully operational, the two centres could divert upwards of 200 tonnes of recyclable material every year—material that would otherwise compound the capital’s waste-disposal challenges.
Local residents, too, have greeted the new facilities with enthusiasm. “I used to drive all the way to the outskirts to dump bottles and cardboard,” said one Kelki homeowner. “Now I can drop them off just down the street, and I feel like I’m doing my bit for the environment.” In Hejo, a small electronics repair shop has already pledged to bring all of its obsolete gadgets and circuit boards to the centre’s e-waste bay, where they will be handled according to best-practice guidelines.
This latest development builds upon the city’s earlier investments in waste-to-energy research and community composting pilots. Municipal planners say that by layering these strategies—drop-off centres, composting hubs, and energy-recovery trials—Thimphu can move beyond the traditional “take-make-dispose” model to a truly circular system in which materials are kept in productive use for as long as possible.
Looking ahead, authorities plan to monitor usage patterns at Kelki and Hejo, with an eye toward replicating the model in other parts of the capital. If successful, the initiative could serve as a template for other Bhutanese towns and even for communities across South Asia seeking to balance development pressures with ecological responsibility.
