The impact of unmanaged waste on Dhaka and its citizens.
In a phase of rapid economic growth paired with urbanisation and infrastructural changes, Bangladesh is witnessing its current landscape transform. However, such significant development has come at the cost of the environment. Despite displaying great financial and economic resilience over the years, Bangladesh has struggled to overcome one hurdle – proper waste management.
Our waste management system has observed little change since the country’s independence and still has gaps that let entities get away with senseless dumping of waste in the form of landfills. The problem has been exacerbated by the nation’s boom in the manufacturing and retail sectors.
Current Waste Scenario
Dhaka produces an estimated 5,000 tonnes of waste every day, with only half of that amount being properly collected and disposed of. Matuail, the region with Dhaka’s largest landfill site, alone receives around 2,500 tonnes of waste from Dhaka South City Corporation areas daily.
Compared to other cities, Dhaka still employs a disorganised system of waste collection, the first step to managing the waste. The system relies on tokais, or waste collectors (mostly children of school-going age), to scavenge the city for waste. The other method employed is rickshaw pullers passing one building after another collecting unsightly bags of waste at dawn.
Once collected, the garbage is taken to a secondary location and stored in giant bins haphazardly placed on selected streets. Such open dumping of waste in streets frequented by people not only produces unpleasant smells but also creates the ideal conditions for waste-borne diseases to emerge and spread.
Our waste management system has observed little change since the country’s independence and still has gaps that let entities get away with senseless dumping of waste in the form of landfills.
Unfortunately, this waste is not disposed of immediately. Local garbage trucks arrive every few days to carry the unsightly garbage from the bins – through the city, to huge landfill sites – of which Matuail and Aminbazar are the more important ones. Both sites are already beyond their capacity, resulting in dangerous overflow and leaching of disease-laden waste fluids into the soil and groundwater.
The tokais come into the picture again at this stage, where they scavenge through the sky-high piles of waste in search of recyclable items to sell to recycling shops.
A key characteristic of Bangladesh’s waste management system is the lack of waste segregation, a procedure that is completed in many other countries. The country currently lacks the infrastructure to separate the non-recyclables from the recyclables, which kills any hope of better waste disposal by those who are willing to make an effort for the environment.
Regular recycling is further disincentivised by its incredibly difficult process – in the hub of chaos that is Dhaka, it is too optimistic to ask a person to go the extra mile of going through all the hassle to recycle.
The Magnitude of the Problem
Such reckless disposal of waste only to be left in piles of landfill poses great environmental, social, and health threats to people.
Environmental implications partly arise from the leaching of toxic waste fluids into the groundwater and soil. Additionally, large-scale dumping of untreated solid wastes often creates downward pressure and ultimately anaerobic conditions. This results in the release of greenhouse gases like methane, which is a major contributor to global warming. The landfill also destroys nearby nutrient-rich wetlands and cropland, hampering local economies and people’s livelihoods.
Additionally, landfill sites pose a great threat to public health, especially that of residents near the sites. An array of health problems including respiratory and skin diseases have been linked to the careless dumping of waste in open landfill sites.
The site is particularly hazardous to those involved in the waste management process, such as the tokais, who do not have the necessary protective gear or equipment to shield against unsanitary garbage.
It is crucial to step away from the traditional waste management system that Bangladesh has had in place since its independence and move away from the landfill solution that allows for waste mounds as high as 70 feet to exist.
Furthermore, these landfill sites in turn can also produce social and economic costs. As a result of the landfill’s unpleasant smells and unsightly appearance, property values around such sites suffer. These landfill sites often repel relatives of residents and tourists alike from wanting to visit the area.
The issue is exacerbated when bodies of authority carry an ignorant attitude towards the problem. Some City corporation officials in the capital have been reported to show little regard for the problem, often denying claims of greenhouse emission figures that clearly indicate poor management of waste.
The Way Forward
It is evident that the current waste management system’s shortcomings are proving inadequate and hazardous for the masses. It is crucial to step away from the traditional waste management system that Bangladesh has had in place since its independence and move away from the landfill solution that allows for waste mounds as high as 70 feet to exist.
As we look at the ways forward, it is important to recognise the integral role that technology plays in resolving the issue of landfills and transforming Dhaka’s waste management systems. Local newspapers have previously suggested the integration of technology in the form of sensor chips at the top of garbage bins that inform garbage collectors when the bins are full.
Additionally, infrastructural changes and new developments are required to bring change to the system. Part of the solution is for every 20-25 feet layer of waste, a leachate collection drain must be installed. This should be paired with more dutiful practices, such as properly covering the waste with soil every day to minimise interactions between the waste and the open air.
These solutions are likely to be hindered by certain limitations. For instance, a concern is that we only have about 40% of the equipment needed to process the daily waste that the capital’s landfill sites receive. To worsen the matter, existing equipment have sustained severe damage due to having worked on uncovered waste.
Furthermore, many landfill sites face a shortage of manpower, making it difficult to operate large waste sites. This hindrance is a large part of the reason why much of the collected waste remains untreated.
However, it is important to not let these limitations hinder the process of change. While people can opt for a more sustainable lifestyle that utilises the likes of the 3 Rs – Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, authorities can begin by taking accountability for their mismanagement. It is then important to dedicate adequate time and resources to resolving the problem. The introduction of practices like routine garbage collection, alongside the implementation of waste segregation, is important in resolving Bangladesh’s waste management problem.
Bangladesh needs to display its resilient nature when resolving its waste management and landfill issues. Reckless disposal of waste that ultimately finds its home in mismanaged landfill sites is a problem requiring close attention. It is important to recognise the magnitude of the problem and direct adequate resources in shifting away from our traditional waste management system into a healthier, more environmentally friendlier one.
