Key Takeaways:
- One of the main culprits is vehicle emissions, with countless aging and poorly maintained vehicles releasing significant amounts of noxious pollutants
- According to a 2019 government study, approximately half a million vehicles in Dhaka operate without fitness
- The industrial sector, especially the numerous coal-fueled brick kilns surrounding the city, also plays a major role
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has partnered with Bangladesh to launch new projects aimed at improving waste management and combating air pollution in major urban areas. This collaboration falls under JICA’s global ‘Clean City Initiative’ (JCCI), which aims to enhance waste management and air quality in developing nations to realize ‘clean cities’ in urban areas comprehensively and sustainably.
New Collaborative Projects
JICA has signed two significant projects as part of this initiative. The first is the Project for Waste Reduction and Support for Building a Sustainable Society, signed with the Economic Relations Division and Local Government Division. This project focuses on improving solid waste management in both Dhaka City Corporation and Chittagong City Corporation, building on JICA’s long-standing support in this sector.
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The second project is the Project for the Capacity Improvement for Air Quality Control, signed with the Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Department of Environment. This initiative aims to develop capacity for monitoring and managing air pollution nationwide.
Waste Generation
Of the urban centers in Bangladesh, Dhaka has grown rapidly with a population of nearly 22 million, which accounts for 12% of the country’s population and 38% of the country’s urban population which generates approximately 1.65 million metric tons of waste annually. Approximately 7,000 tons of waste is produced daily in Dhaka, which is projected to increase to 8,500 tons by 2032. Daily per capita waste is 0.513 Kg in Dhaka North and 0.56 kg in Dhaka South. The waste stream contains more than 80% organic matter and comprises a variety of substances such as food waste, paper, cloth, agricultural waste, construction debris, metals, medical waste, and appliances.
Waste Management
Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, is facing serious environmental degradation and public health risks due to the uncollected disposal of waste. When waste is dumped indiscriminately on streets and other public areas, it clogs the drainage system and contaminates water resources. In the last decade, however, the importance of community involvement in waste management and the use of adapted technologies were recognized for improving the waste management system. People’s attitudes and behavior are too the major problem in managing waste.
Evolution of Waste Collection Method
| Year System of Collection |
|---|
| 1717 Manual night soil collection system |
| 1864 Night soil collection by bullock cart by Dhaka Municipality |
| 1963 Liquid waste collection by DWASA & Dhaka Municipality side by side |
| 1982 Bullock cart system suspended, night soil collection replaced by Septic tank, |
| introduction of open trucks for solid waste collection by Dhaka Municipality. |
| 1989 Introduction of nighttime waste collection instead of daytime collection. |
| 1993 Demountable containers introduced along with closed and open trucks. |
| 2002 Open truck replaced by covered truck. |
Waste Management in Dhaka City Corporation
Sustainable Waste Management: Key Strategies
Traditional landfill dumping poses significant environmental risks due to gases like carbon dioxide and methane. Embracing sustainable waste management is crucial today. Key strategies include:
- Segregation of Waste: Separating recyclable materials and organic waste can reduce total waste by 60-70%, promoting reuse, recycling, and composting.
- Smart Dumping: Underground dust containers prevent overflow, reducing environmental pollution, traffic congestion, and space-related hazards in urban areas.
- Fertilizer Generation from Waste: Converting organic waste into compost offers economic benefits, with 94% of farmers in the Dhaka region willing to purchase. Various composting methods can effectively turn municipal solid waste into organic manure.
- Energy Generation from Waste: Technologies for converting waste into energy, such as capturing landfill gases, mitigating climate change, reducing landfill costs, and improving agricultural yields through composting. This approach also fosters green jobs and enhances community well-being.
Implementing these strategies can transform waste management, ensuring a sustainable and healthier environment for urban populations.
Towards Sustainable Waste Management
Addressing waste management challenges in Dhaka requires urgent and sustainable solutions. Key interventions include:
Policy Changes: Develop comprehensive regulatory guidelines for managing municipal, medical, and e-waste. Ensure effective waste collection, segregation, transportation, and disposal with safety measures. Provide life insurance for waste workers, subsidies for green products, and penalties for violating waste management norms.
Structural Changes: Strengthen ward-level waste collection with community involvement. Enhance efficiency in secondary transfer and final disposal by city corporations through technological advancements. Foster partnerships between government and private sectors for sustainable waste management practices.
Changes in Practices: Implement color-coded bags or bins for segregating recyclable, kitchen, and medical wastes. Successful waste segregation can reduce landfill volume by 20-30%. Improve landfill management based on sanitary standards, long-term strategies, and enhanced equipment and human resources.
Behavioral Change: Encourage waste generators and collectors to adopt responsible practices through legal, economic, and educational initiatives. Conduct mass awareness campaigns in collaboration with city authorities and NGOs to promote sustainable waste management behaviors.
Recycling Initiatives: Establish separate collection bins for recyclables like paper, glass, and plastics to conserve energy and raw materials. Encourage reuse of products like plastic bottles where feasible to reduce waste.
Plastic Alternatives: Promote alternatives to plastic bags and bottles to reduce environmental impact. Provide economically viable options such as biodegradable plastics and jute bags to replace traditional plastic materials.
Implementing these strategies will pave the way for a sustainable waste management system in Dhaka, ensuring environmental health and resource conservation for future generations.
Primary Sources of Air Pollution
Dhaka is grappling with a formidable challenge: pervasive and detrimental air pollution. This complex issue arises from multiple sources, each contributing to the city’s deteriorating air quality.
One of the main culprits is vehicle emissions, with countless aging and poorly maintained vehicles releasing significant amounts of noxious pollutants. According to a 2019 government study, approximately half a million vehicles in Dhaka operate without fitness.
The industrial sector, especially the numerous coal-fueled brick kilns surrounding the city, also plays a major role. These kilns emit harmful particles, worsening the already severe pollution levels.
Urbanization’s rapid pace and the constant demand for infrastructure development have exacerbated the problem. Construction sites, generating clouds of dust and particulate matter, add to the growing pollution haze over the city, as highlighted by the Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Study (CAPS).
Uncontrolled and often haphazard road digging, a consequence of urban expansion, further hinders efforts to improve air quality. Even household activities like burning wood for cooking contribute to indoor air pollution, which can seep outdoors and combine with already burdened outdoor air.
Combatting Dhaka’s Air Pollution: Key Strategies Needed
To tackle Dhaka’s severe air pollution, a comprehensive approach is essential. The government should enforce stricter vehicle emission regulations, phase out older high-emission vehicles, and promote cleaner public transport. Incentivizing electric and hybrid vehicles can further mitigate transportation-related pollution.
Reforming the industrial sector, especially brick kilns, is crucial. Transitioning to energy-efficient technologies like improved zigzag kilns, supported by subsidies and technical assistance, can significantly reduce emissions. Halting new coal-based power plants and promoting renewable energy sources are vital steps.
Construction sites, a major source of dust pollution, require strict management of debris. Regulations mandating proper debris management and rigorous monitoring by the Department of Environment will help minimize dust emissions.
Conclusion
Dhaka’s air pollution remains a critical issue that continues to affect the lives of millions of residents, despite various efforts to address the problem. The air quality in the city remains hazardous, posing significant health risks to its inhabitants.
To effectively combat this issue, stricter regulations on vehicle emissions must be implemented, and industrial practices must undergo a transition towards cleaner and more sustainable methods.
