ONE of the primary challenges for sustainable development globally is environmentally friendly waste management, and Bangladesh is no exception. Due to rapid population growth, planned and unplanned urbanisation, and changing consumer habits, a massive amount of waste is generated daily. If this waste isn鈥檛 managed properly, it will have a severe impact on our public health, environment, and economy.
Modern waste management is not just about collecting and dumping garbage. It鈥檚 a comprehensive, integrated process that includes limiting waste production through public awareness campaigns, and reusing and recovering waste through various technologies. Landfilling is considered the last resort in this process. Essentially, modern methods use advanced technology and strategies to transform waste from a burden into a resource, which aligns perfectly with the circular economy model.
Chattogram, Bangladesh鈥檚 commercial capital and second-largest city, like other cities in the country, generates a huge amount of municipal solid waste daily due to rapid population growth and unplanned urbanisation. Managing this waste has become a complex environmental challenge. The current waste management situation, which primarily relies on landfilling, is antiquated and disappointing. This conventional method (collecting waste and dumping it at designated sites on the outskirts of the city) is not only harmful to the environment but also a serious of threat to public health.
Sometimes, as part of this landfill process, waste is collected from various locations and temporarily piled up in congested and busy areas, particularly on main roads like the one near 鈥楴o. 2 Gate鈥� in the Sholashahar area. It鈥檚 common to see city corporation workers piling up waste in large, open dustbins on the side of the road. Often, these piles of waste remain for days. The foul odour from this unmanaged waste pollutes the air. Furthermore, the scattered waste narrows the main road, obstructing vehicle traffic, completely covers the sidewalk, and creates a dirty, unhealthy environment. This entire area becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes, flies, and various other visible and invisible pathogens, and become a fertile source of infectious diseases.
A study found that the Chattogram City Corporation dumps about 72 per cent of its collected waste into unplanned landfills, and the remaining 28 per cent is dumped in open spaces. Although some NGOs and informal sectors are involved in collecting recyclable materials from waste, this constitutes only a tiny fraction of the total. This final waste disposal method, often referred to as 鈥榮anitary landfilling,鈥� is entirely unplanned and does not adhere to any scientific standards. This creates severe environmental risks like land, water, and air pollution, and has a serious impact on public health and the economy.
To solve this problem, we must immediately adopt alternative and advanced waste management methods. We don鈥檛 even need to look to the examples and practices of very distant and developed countries, rather simply by following and immediately applying the waste management methods of our immediate neighbours; many unwanted problems can be solved. Countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore no longer seeing waste as 鈥榳aste鈥� but as a valuable resource. Their core principles are the 鈥楾hree R鈥檚鈥� (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), 鈥榃aste-to-Energy鈥�, and 鈥榃aste-to-Usable Products鈥�. Let鈥檚 specifically examine the modern methods that these countries are applying.
Singapore: As a small city-state with land scarcity, Singapore has adopted a highly effective waste management system. The primary strategy of the Singaporean authorities is 鈥榃aste-to-Energy鈥� plants. In these plants, waste is incinerated to generate electricity. This process reduces the volume of waste by about 90 per cent. The remaining ash is then deposited in the 鈥楽emakau Landfill,鈥� an artificial offshore island. The Singaporean government has also implemented strict rules and public awareness campaigns for waste segregation and recycling, which helps to reduce waste generation.
Malaysia: Malaysia is also using 鈥榃aste-to-Energy鈥� technology. The country recently launched a large-scale 鈥榳aste-to-energy鈥� plant and has many other smaller waste management plants are in operation. These facilities process thousands of tons of waste daily to produce electricity, meeting the energy needs of thousands of households. Additionally, Malaysian authorities have developed an integrated system to create compost from municipal solid waste for agricultural use.
Thailand: Thailand is currently following policies like the 鈥楥lean Cleaner鈥� model for waste management. Thai authorities are encouraging partnerships between the private sector and municipalities in waste management. This leverages modern technology for waste collection, processing, and electricity generation.
So, why aren鈥檛 the authorities in Bangladesh, especially the authorities of mega-cities like Dhaka and Chattogram, adopting these advanced and environmentally friendly waste management methods? The followings might be some key reasons:
High initial investment: 鈥榃aste-to-Energy鈥� plants and other modern waste processing systems require huge initial investment. Operating these expensive projects requires advanced technology, skilled human resources, and continuous financial support, which is currently beyond the economic capacity of the city corporations.
Lack of coordinated governance: A complex issue like waste management requires an effective and coordinated system between multiple government agencies (eg, City Corporations, the Department of Environment, the Ministry of Local Government) and the private sector like NGO. There is often a lack of coordination between these agencies. Furthermore, such long-term and costly projects require strong political will and sustained policy support.
Low public awareness: The foundation of modern waste management is waste segregation at the source level. This means separating biodegradable, recyclable, and non-biodegradable waste at the household level. However, this awareness is very low in Bangladesh. As a result, all types of waste are mixed together in a single bin, making them unsuitable for modern processing plants.
Poor enforcement of laws: Although there are laws for solid waste management, their enforcement is lacking. There鈥檚 a deficit in punitive measures for littering, illegal dumping, and environmental pollution.
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For a sustainable Bangladesh
WITH public health in mind, it is imperative to take immediate action to move away from the current, outdated, unmanaged, and harmful waste management methods to build an environmentally friendly and sustainable Bangladesh. Modern waste management steps are directly linked to several of the UN鈥檚 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG-11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG-6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG-7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and SDG-12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). We believe the following steps are urgently needed for an effective solution to modern waste management:
Public awareness and source segregation: A widespread campaign is needed to make the public aware of 鈥榳aste segregation.鈥� Religious leaders (imams, priests, etc.) can give awareness speeches at their places of worship. Teachers in educational institutions can provide necessary guidance to students and encourage them to implement these practices from an institutional level. As a start, the City Corporations can initiate a pilot project by placing 3-4 different coloured waste bins in front of houses in specific areas.
Advanced technology and waste-to-energy plants: The City Corporations must progressively launch 鈥榃aste-to-Energy,鈥� composting, and advanced recycling plants by communicating with the aforementioned countries and quickly bringing their applied technologies to Bangladesh. These projects will not only protect the environment but also create a significant number of jobs. This will be a massive employment sector for our engineers, managers, and technically skilled graduates. By working in this sector, our young generation will innovate new techniques and technologies, which will gradually help Bangladesh to become a technologically advanced nation.
Integrated administrative framework: Coordination must be increased between the City Corporations, the Department of Environment, and other related agencies. A high-level task force can be formed for such projects.
Removal of dustbins from roads: Open dustbins on main roads should be removed immediately and replaced with fully covered and environmentally friendly secondary transfer stations in designated locations.
Strict enforcement of laws: Waste management laws must be strictly enforced, and exemplary punishments should be implemented against those who violate them.
By following the modern waste management models of developed countries, we can transform our cities into healthy, clean and liveable places. This is not just an administrative responsibility but a testament to our commitment to a habitable world for future generations.
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Dr Mayeen Uddin Khandaker is a professor of engineering and听technology, Sunway University,听Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
