Developing a Tribal Integrated Waste Management Plan (IWMP)

United States

Environmental Protection Agency

March 2013 

EPA-530-F-001(a)

www.epa.gov/tribalmsw

Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery 

MC 5303P

 

Overview of Developing 

a Tribal IWMP

SERIES At A Glance

Overview- Developing a Tribal IWMP

n

Step 1- Collect Background Data

n

Step 2- Map Out the Tribal IWMP 

Framework 

n

Step 3- Write and Implement 

the Tribal IWMP

Developing an IWMP may 

lower total operating 

costs, increase 

efficiency, reduce the 

use of open dumps, and

increase environmental 

awareness among 

community members.

Purpose

This Overview Fact Sheet is the first in a series of four that will provide the basic 

framework for a tribal solid waste and environmental manager to develop a successful integrated waste management plan. The purpose of developing a tribal Integrated 

Waste Management Plan (IWMP) is to identify existing solid waste systems, assess 

needs, and set forth ways to design, implement, and monitor a more effective and 

sustainable solid waste management program. The final IWMP put forth to your 

governing body for approval will outline various aspects of waste management such 

as the collection, storage, and disposal of waste; source reduction; recycling; composting; facility management; and budgeting and financing. Developing a useful IWMP 

may lower total operating costs, increase efficiency, reduce the use of open dumps, and 

increase environmental awareness among tribal community members and leaders. 

Framework

The framework for developing an IWMP is broken down into the following 

three steps: 

✔ Step 1 – Collect Background Data 

✔ Step 2 – Map Out the Tribal IWMP Framework 

✔ Step 3 – Write & Implement the Tribal IWMP

These three steps will include the following actions:

✔ Determining the community service area

✔ Conducting waste characterization and assessment

✔ Describing current and future waste management practices

✔ Identifying waste management challenges

✔ Investigating waste management options

✔ Determining program costs and performing a cost/benefit analysis

✔ Selecting a final option

✔ Developing goals and objectives

✔ Determining milestones

✔ Writing the IWMP

✔ Adopting the plan

✔ Reviewing, adapting, evaluating and updating the plan

Series: 1 of 4
Publications by Topic – 

Municipal Solid Waste Website

www.epa.gov/waste/inforesources/pubs/municipal_sw.htm

This EPA Website provides a directory of EPA publications that 

focus on solid waste.

Respect Our Resources: 

Prevent Illegal Dumping 

www.epa.gov/waste/wyl/tribal/pdftxt/twj-1.pdf

Published in May 2002, this edition of the 

Tribal Waste Journal provides information on 

community support and outreach activities.

Solid Waste Management: 

A Local Challenge with Global Impacts 

www.epa.gov/waste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/

ghg/f02026.pdf

This 2002 fact sheet discusses how to establish recycling and composting programs; 

components of waste collection, transport, and 

various options for waste disposal.

Tribal Decision-Maker’s Guide to 

Solid Waste Management 

www.epa.gov/waste/wyl/tribal/tribalguide.htm 

This comprehensive document provides 

resources, tips, tools, and examples on how 

tribal waste managers can reduce waste; 

collect fees; and fund, develop, implement, 

and enforce waste management in their community. Also, 

included in the document is a section on how to develop an 

effective outreach and education plan.

What is an Integrated 

Waste Management Plan (IWMP)?

www.epa.gov/wastes/wyl/tribal/pdftxt/twj-7.pdf 

Published in September 2009, this edition 

of the Tribal Waste Journal provides several 

articles that range from a general overview on 

why you should develop an IWMP to specific 

tribal case studies and examples. Nine types 

of funding opportunities are profiled in the issue along with 

tips on how to fund your IWMP. Also included is additional 

information about tools and programs available to help reduce 

waste and develop an IWMP.

Suggested On-line Resources for Developing a Tribal IWMP

The Importance of Public Involvement

Public involvement is essential throughout the development 

of an IWMP. Public involvement should start with outreach 

to the surrounding community to gain interest, cultivate 

awareness, and garner support. The next step is information 

exchange, which progresses to providing recommendations 

and agreements. Throughout the public involvement process, 

stakeholders can become empowered to take action, participate in, and/or help support the decision making process. 

Each aspect of public involvement is pertinent to developing 

and implementing a successful IWMP. Tribal community 

members are more likely to support and participate in new 

waste management programs when they are involved in 

the planning process from the very beginning. EPA’s Public 

Involvement Web site, www.epa.gov/publicinvolvement/

intro.htm, provides an overview on how EPA conducts public 

involvement activities that may be beneficial to your tribe. 

EPA Waste Website

www.epa.gov/waste

General information on a variety of topics concerning the types and amounts of waste generated in the U.S.; fundamentals of 

reduce, reuse, and recycling concepts; tips on handling hazardous waste; and how to reduce, manage, and dispose of municipal 

solid waste or non-hazardous waste.
Developing a Tribal Integrated Waste Management Plan (IWMP)

United States

Environmental Protection Agency

March 2013 

EPA-530-F-001(b)

www.epa.gov/tribalmsw

Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery 

MC 5303P

 

Step 1 – Collect Background Data

Determine the Community Service Area

Prior to developing an IWMP, you must first determine the area that will be 

serviced by the plan – that is, the area that the plan will be focused on. To gain 

a broad overview of your community service area (CSA) and to determine what 

waste collection, storage, transfer, and disposal options are best, collect the 

following pieces of information: 

✔ Jurisdictional Boundaries. Clearly define the reservation boundaries and 

identify the tribes that live within and just outside the jurisdictional boundaries.

✔ Population and Demographic Data. Collect past and present population and 

household information. Consider the age of the population throughout the 

entire community. Project where and how the population may grow or change 

over the next 5, 10, 20, and 50 years. 

✔ Climate. Report on the average amount of rainfall, average high and low temperatures, and other climatic features. 

✔ Natural Resources, Geological and Geographical Features. Include the soil 

type and drainage properties, distance to ground water, and drinking water 

access. 

✔ Economic Data. Report on the current and potential revenue sources for the 

tribe; types of commercial, industrial, and other types of employers existing 

within the reservation; and the community’s assets and resources. 

To get started, visit the U.S. Census Bureau’s website, www.census.gov, for statistical information on populations and households for communities throughout 

the U.S. More detailed information is provided on 539 tribes based on 2000 data 

located in the American Indian and Alaska Native Summary File (AIANSF). 

Also, your tribal housing office or local Housing and Urban Development office 

may have specific information on your CSA.

Overview of Step 1

Determine the 

Community Service Area n

Conduct Waste Characterization 

and Assessment n

Describe Current and Future Waste 

Management Practices n

Identify Waste Management 

Challenges

As every tribe is unique, 

gathering background 

information specific 

to your community is 

essential in developing 

an IWMP that is geared 

towards the needs of 

your tribe. 

Series: 2 of 4
Conduct Waste Characterization 

and Assessment

Collecting information on your CSA’s waste streams will help 

you determine the current waste composition and provide 

a baseline for further analysis. First, examine existing solid 

waste records, perform a walk-through of current waste 

management operations, and/or sort through the current 

waste stream to determine the composition of waste generated. Keep in mind the following:

✔ What is the current amount of waste generated from all of 

the different sectors within your CSA? The different sectors 

may include tribal government operations, commercial 

businesses, household waste, waste generated from schools 

on the reservation, etc.

✔ What types of waste streams does each of these sectors 

produce? For example, recyclable materials (e.g., paper, 

glass, plastic); compostable materials (e.g., food scraps, 

organic debris); household hazardous waste (e.g., paint, 

batteries); construction and demolition debris; abandoned 

vehicles; used tires; white goods (e.g., refrigerators); and 

electronic waste (e.g., computers).

For more information on conducting waste assessments, visit 

EPA’s Waste Assessment Approaches website, www.epa.gov/

smm/wastewise/approach.htm. This website provides information on how to conduct a waste assessment including 

records examinations, facility walk-throughs, and waste sorts.

Describe Current and Future 

Waste Management Practices

Consider how each waste stream is managed based on the 

waste characterization and assessment of your CSA. Collect 

the following information on current waste management 

practices:

✔ Waste collection, transfer, and disposal

✔ Waste reduction practices

✔ Waste disposal facility description

✔ Regional waste infrastructure

✔ Current partnerships

✔ Compliance and enforcement issues

Consider the strengths and weaknesses of your existing waste 

management program and collect the following information needed to develop a comprehensive, forward-thinking, 

IWMP:

✔ Equipment and facility needs

✔ Funding limitations

✔ Projected population changes and changes in waste characterization

✔ Proposed partnerships

✔ Research on alternative waste management options

The second chapter of the Tribal Decision-Maker’s Guide 

provides an example of how to estimate future waste 

generation based on population growth and current waste 

generation rate. Issue 7 of the Tribal Waste Journal provides 

information on how to handle household and commercial 

waste, as well as special waste streams such as batteries and 

medical waste. To obtain these resources and others, go to 

the Publications link on EPA’s Waste Management in Indian 

Country website at www.epa.gov/waste/wyl/tribal/index.htm. 

Identify Waste Management Challenges

After addressing current and future waste management 

practices, determine what challenges exist (e.g., missing 

infrastructure, location, cost, etc.). Once you understand the 

existing waste management challenges for your CSA, you will 

be able to address these issues as you move forward with the 

development of the IWMP in Step 2.
Developing a Tribal Integrated Waste Management Plan (IWMP)

United States

Environmental Protection Agency

March 2013 

EPA-530-F-001(c)

www.epa.gov/tribalmsw

Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery 

MC 5303P

 

Step 2 – Map Out the Tribal 

IWMP Framework

Investigate Waste Management Options

Using the data obtained in Step 1, investigate which waste management options 

would work best for your tribe. In considering waste management options, also 

consider long-term goals for your tribe, such as encouraging reuse and recycling. 

These are different from the goals of a specific waste management option as will 

be discussed in Step 3 of this IWMP. Long-term goals also provide the priorities for your tribe and the criteria to compare waste management options. They 

include: 

✔ Environmental impacts

✔ Relative cost

✔ Potential to create jobs in the 

tribe

✔ Operation and maintenance 

challenges

✔ Regulatory requirements

✔ Degree of tribal control

✔ Cost of closure, post-closure 

care, and financial assurance 

for municipal landfills

In light of your tribe’s goals 

and priorities, start developing relevant waste management 

options. However, it is important 

not to exclude options too quickly. 

Consider creating partnerships 

with states, surrounding local 

Overview of Step 2

Investigate Alternative 

Waste Management Options n

Determine Program Costs & 

Perform a Cost Analysis n

Select a Final Option

In Step 2 of developing an 

IWMP, you can begin to map 

out the framework, while 

keeping in mind the background data identified in 

Step 1.

Series: 3 of 4
governments, and/or other tribes, to increase waste management options. Some common waste management options 

include: 

✔ Source reduction, such as the Pay-As-You-Throw Program, 

encourages participants to generate less trash through a 

monetary incentive program. For more information on 

Pay-As-You-Throw, visit www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/

tools/payt

✔ Reusing goods or donating goods such as lightly used 

clothing and furniture to a community organization for 

reuse

✔ Recycling products such as aluminum, paper, and plastic

✔ Composting organic material, including yard debris and 

food scraps. The compost that is produced can be used as 

a soil amendment

For more information on developing partnerships, check out 

EPA’s Partnerships in Solid Waste Management document 

at: www.epa.gov/waste/wyl/tribal/pdftxt/partner.pdf. This 

document provides information on the benefits, potential 

obstacles, and an overview on how to develop a partnership agreement. Consider partnering with other inter-tribal 

departments, neighboring tribes and local communities, 

the county and state governments, businesses, non-profit 

organizations, and/or educational centers in and around your 

community.

Determine Program Costs & 

Perform a Cost Analysis

Conduct a preliminary cost analysis of waste management, 

including the capital and operational cost estimates. Estimate 

how much time is required to implement the different 

options such as developing, building, and designing a new 

facility or developing a curb-side pickup program. Determine 

the potential costs of the new waste management program. 

Examples of waste management costs include:

✔ Facility design and construction

✔ Equipment purchases

✔ Cleanup

✔ Operation and maintenance

✔ Personnel training and administration

✔ Landfill closure and post-closure care

✔ Supplies

For more information on developing a cost estimate, review 

Chapter 2 of the Tribal Decision-Maker’s Guide, available by 

going to the Publications link on EPA’s Waste Management 

in Indian Country Web site at www.epa.gov/tribalmsw. The 

Tribal Solid Waste Program Costing Tool, available from EPA 

Region 9 at www.epa.gov/region9/waste/tribal/pdf/TribalSolid-Waste-Program-Costing-Tool.pdf provides an easyto-use work book for determining the feasibility of triballyoperated collection services, transfer stations, and landfills.

Select a Final Option

Once you have gathered and assessed your waste management alternatives, select a final option to be put forth in the 

final IWMP, created in Step 3. 
Developing a Tribal Integrated Waste Management Plan (IWMP)

United States

Environmental Protection Agency

March 2013 

EPA-530-F-001(d)

www.epa.gov/tribalmsw

Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery 

MC 5303P

 

Step 3 – Write and Implement 

the Tribal IWMP

Develop Goals and Objectives

Based on the final option selected in Step 2, develop a goal statement for each 

issue and/or proposed improvement. A goal statement is a specific description of 

what needs to be done. Develop actions to accomplish this goal. Actions may be 

over a pre-determined time frame (i.e., 5, 10, 15 years, etc.).

To find out more information on developing goals and objectives, look at Issue 7 

of the Tribal Waste Journal. This issue provides information on how to develop 

goals for your IWMP, funding opportunities, an IWMP template, examples, and 

various other educational tools. Issues of the Tribal Waste Journal may be found 

by going to the Publications link on EPA’s Waste Management in Indian Country 

website at www.epa.gov/tribalmsw.

Determine Milestones

Milestones enable you to assess your 

accomplishments and to focus on what you 

consider a priority in dealing with waste 

management challenges. Determining 

milestones will provide the framework 

essential in implementing the plan once it 

has been approved. Identify the following:

✔ Major tasks and sub-tasks

✔ Target dates for completion of 

specific tasks

✔ Anticipated costs and potential 

funding sources

✔ Potential partners for implementing 

the plan

Overview of Step 3

Develop Goals and Objectives n

Determine Milestones n

Write the Tribal IWMP n

Adopt the IWMP n

Plan Review, Adaption, 

Evaluation, & Updates

Step 3 incorporates the 

information obtained in 

Steps 1 and 2, and pulls

everything together 

into one comprehensive 

document. This IWMP

document is now ready 

to be put forth to the 

appropriate governing 

body for approval and 

implementation. 

Series: 4 of 4
Write the Tribal IWMP

Take the information collected in Steps 1, 2, and 3 and 

incorporate it within a single document. Your IWMP should 

include the following key elements:

✔ Description of the community service area

✔ Description of the tribe’s waste management program 

structure and administration

✔ Description of the tribe’s current and proposed waste 

management practices

✔ Description of the funding, sustainability, milestones and 

long-term goals of the tribe’s waste management program

✔ Documentation of the IWMP being approved by the 

appropriate governing body

Issue 7 of the Tribal Waste Journal provides examples of 

templates used when writing an IWMP. Past issues of the 

Tribal Waste Journal may be found under the Publications 

link on EPA’s Waste Management in Indian Country website 

at www.epa.gov/tribalmsw. Case studies on successful solid 

waste management programs may be found under the Case 

Studies link under the same website. 

Adopt the IWMP

The plan should be put forth to the appropriate governing 

body once it has been drafted, edited, and fully reviewed by 

all appropriate parties. Once the IWMP has been adopted, 

begin to implement the plan by aiming to reach the goals and 

milestones laid out at the beginning of Step 3.

Plan Review, Adaption, 

Evaluation, & Updates

As you begin to implement your new IWMP, assess the goals, 

objectives, and milestones over time to ensure that they are 

feasible. Solicit feedback from residents and other stakeholders to determine if the new IWMP and waste management 

alternatives adopted are the best fit for your tribe. Evaluate 

the IWMP as needed, at a minimum of every 5 years, or as 

population shifts or different waste streams are generated.