1

Chapter – I : Introduction
1.1.Introduction :
Dhaka is one of the most densely populated cities in the world having a population of
about 20 million in an area of just 360 km. The total population is growing at a high
rate of 1.4%; where as her urban population is growing at a faster rate of 3.4% per
annum. The estimated population here by 2040 is 40 million. So, with the increasing
rate of population, the rate of waste management problem of the city is also rising
keeping a pace to it. In 1985 the total amount of solid waste in the city was 1040
tons/day, which rose to 3500tons/day in 1999 and might rise to 30000tons/day by the
year 2020. Though a massive amount of municipal solid waste having 80% organic
content and 50-70% moisture is generated every day, only about 50% of the waste is
collected properly by DCC and dumped as landfill . The improper management leaves
behind a huge amount of uncollected waste, which has been creating environmental
hazards in the city. Dhaka City Corporations DCC, North, and South, have been
trying to mitigate the problem taking new initiatives, but the problem seems to be
aggravating more and more day by day. This huge waste seems to be beyond control
of the DCC alone until the city dwellers come forward together to solve it.
The area required for land filling is increasing proportionally with the growth of
waste. It is estimated that by 2020, the required area for landfill will be 206.31 acre to
309.46 acre with the collection efficiency of 50% to 75%. Though from the definition
of waste we know that “Waste is an unwanted material that lacks financial value
regardless of the time or season because there is no demand for such an item in the
market”. But, this idea can be proved wrong by reusing and recycling the waste in a
proper way. There are a number of recognized Waste-to-Energy (WtE) technologies
in the world right now, which can turn the unwanted waste into energy. Moreover, the
waste can be decomposed to create fertilizers. So, in lieu of being a burden, the waste
of Dhaka city can become a blessing to the citizens if subjected to modern
technology.
So, a comprehensive review on the scenario and problems of the waste management
has been a demand of the time for a probable solution to the problem and at the same
time turn this huge waste into resources. To perform the present work, we analyzed a
 2

number of research works, review articles, different online sources and reports of
different government, non-government and international organizations on waste
management on Dhaka city as well as other cities of the developed and developing
countries. The aim of this review is to demonstrate the current waste management
process in a proper way so that the existing problems related to it are minimized. At
the same time, the work refers to possible ways and means to convert the municipal
solid waste into resources. We strongly believe, if brought into practice, this could
help the citizens of Dhaka and other cities to live a better life in an eco-friendly,
congenial and sustainable environment, for present and future.
1.2 Importance of The Study :
Important of the study :
Primarily The DCC (Dhaka City Corporation) is liable for collecting and managing
waste in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In spite of limited waste management service of Dhaka,
door-to-door community based waste collection from households to local dust bins is
considered as a success. Informal waste recycling systems are also highly fruitful in
waste recycling and job creations for the poor. Wastes are normally collected in a
non-segregated manner and placed into little containers at households. Wastes are
then collected by organizations delegated by DCC in vans to the secondary collection
points. Waste trucks then carry the wastes to the landfill sites. A significant portion of
the solid waste is operated by an informal market to be recycled. Scavengers (Tokais)
collect the recyclable items from landfills and open dustbins and then sell those to a
waste recycling dealer (Bhangari). Besides, the Hawkers buy recyclables from door to
door and trade with the Bhangari. The items are then washed, dried and sorted by the
recycling dealers and traded in the market. The process of waste management of city
streets is different. Cleaners from DCC cleans public places (drains, streets, parks
etc.) regularly. All the wastes collected from the city is dumped to the land filling
sites. A massive amount of waste in Dhaka is not collected because of lack of funds,
infrastructure, and transportation vehicles.[6]In addition to solid waste, electronic
waste, construction waste, medical waste, food waste and various forms of industrial
wastes are produced in the city. DCC does not have the capability to perform
regulatory administration of these wastes. Besides, there are no laws to regulate the
 3

management of these wastes. So, these wastes are constantly being mixed with solid
waste
Two important initiatives have been undertaken for Solid Waste Management in
Dhaka. One was undertaken by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in
2005 with the objectives of formulating a master plan of Dhaka City and to develop
capabilities and management skills of DCC. Another initiative, 3R Strategy (The
principle of reducing, reusing and recycling of resources and products is often called
the 3Rs) was undertaken in 2010 by the Department of Environment (DoE), Ministry
of Environment and Forestry of the Government. Towards sustainable waste
management, 3Rs can play an important role protecting environment from greenhouse
gas emission and convert waste into invaluable resources.
1.3 Historical Background and Context of the study :
Dhaka the capital and the largest city of Bangladesh, has experienced remarkable
economic development since the 1990s in association with the country’s rapid Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) growth. Accordingly, waste generation has increased
rapidly, and its composition has becomes complicated. Such economic growth leads
to higher living standards for residents, who pay more attention to waste cleaning
services provided by the local government. It is fundamentally vital for local
governments to equip a communication channel to connect the government’s cleaning
business with communities for mutual understanding and cooperation. Considering
such critical circumstances of waste management in Dhaka, the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2003 began to support the Dhaka City Corporation
(DCC) for improving solid waste management (SWM). In most cases, the need for
SWM becomes apparent after economic development. However, the DCC has
developed its SWM system without delay, in tandem with the rapid economic growth.
For example, in correspondence to the increased waste generation, not only did the
DCC reform its institution to fit a new waste management operation; it also improved
the 25 ha open dump site, located in the south-eastern part of Dhaka City, into a
sanitary landfill and built a new 25 ha sanitary landfill in the northwest region.
Furthermore, the DCC successfully closed two huge illegal dumping sites. For waste
collection improvement, the conventional collection methods were modified to be
more efficient, and the institution for waste collection within the Waste Management
 4

Department (WMD) of the DCC was strengthened. The people’s participation in

SWM was then realized over time through a community participatory framework
known as the Ward-based Approach (WBA). As a result, requests and complaints
from citizens were handled gradually with by the WMD and ward offices, which
oversee the SWM on-site. The SWM activities of the DCC thus became connected
with the society in Dhaka, and the social interest and responses instilled job pride in
the DCC staff members. After the DCC established the system for SWM through the
implementation of the previous Master Plan (2005–2015), Dhaka City was
administratively divided into two areas in 2011, and the DCC was also split into
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC)
However, a serious issue remained in that the capacities of both existing landfills in
DNCC and DSCC were only two years, and no location would be available for waste
disposal in the near future. Therefore, DSCC, as a way to solve this issue, has devised
a subsequent Master Plan by newly introducing an integrated waste management and
advanced technology. Looking toward to the future of DSCC, this new Master Plan
essentially includes administrative public awareness, WBA dissemination, efficient
and hygienic waste collection, life extension of the existing landfill sites (LFSs), legal
and institutional reform, and stakeholder’s capacity development. The previous Clean
Dhaka Master Plan (2005–2015) aimed to improve the SWM of Dhaka City based on
social acceptability and technical capacity to achieve Clean Dhaka status. This plan
has seven parts including three technical and four institutional and social components.
The technical components include Primary Collection, Secondary Collection and
Transport, and Disposal. The institutional/social components, which were integrated
with the three technical components, are Legal Aspect, Organizational Aspect,
Financial Aspect, and Privatization.
The following overall objectives were identified to achieve the goal of the Master
Plan (2005–2015):
(i) To expand DCC service coverage and quality.
(ii) To enhance DCC operation capacity with sufficient manpower, equipment, and
facilities.
(iii) To facilitate well-managed operation by relevant departments.
(iv) To encourage progressive involvement of public participation.
 5

(v) To pursue proper work sharing with the private sector and the community.
The progress of this plan was monitored in 2013 targeting a seven-year period from
2006 to 2012. At
that time, almost all priority projects and programs were implemented by the DCC
with JICA’s
assistance, such as the technical cooperation project, Environmental Grand Aid
Project (EGAP), Japan
Debt Cancellation Fund (JDCF), and Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers
(JOCV).
The main outcome during the seven-year period is summarized as follows.
(i) The SWM organization was strengthened by establishment of the WMD and
introduction of the WBA.
(ii) The WMD Directives (2007–2012) was developed, and an administrative
procedure book was drafted for enforcement of law and regulations. Community
participation in SWM was encouraged through WBA 3, and Fixed-Time and Fixed-
Place (FTFP) collection by compactors began with the support of the community. The
FTFP collection contributed to close unsanitary containers and dustbins on the road.
In addition, the new collection system was strengthened by introducing 35 new
compactors in corporation with Primary Collection Service Providers (PCSPs).
(iv) Matuail LFS, which was initially an open dumping site, was improved as a
sanitary landfill including a leachate treatment facility. A landfill management unit
(LMU) was organized for successful landfill operation.
However, after the monitoring period and evaluation from 2014 to 2017, the progress
of the Master Plan appeared to decrease, and several critical issues remained
unresolved. For example, although the necessity of extending the lifespans of existing
LFSs was known, no action was taken by DSCC to acquire new land or to negotiate
with surrounding cities to establish a regional treatment system. As a result, the need
for this lifespan extension has become crucial. In addition, unfortunately, even though
the knowledge and experience of the WBA is widespread, its promotion has not been
well managed by the WMD member staff including conservancy inspectors (CIs).
 6

1.4 Primary Research Question :

Critical assessment of solid waste management in Dhaka Metropolitan City ?
The following are some of the key challenges facing solid waste management in
Dhaka Metropolitan City:
Insufficient collection and disposal: Only about half of the solid waste generated in
DMC is collected and disposed of properly. The remaining waste is either dumped in
open spaces or burnt, which poses a serious threat to public health and the
environment.
Lack of public awareness: Many residents of DMC are not aware of the importance of
proper waste disposal practices. This leads to littering and indiscriminate dumping of
waste.
Informal waste sector: A large proportion of waste collection and disposal in DMC is
carried out by the informal sector. These informal workers often lack the necessary
training and equipment to handle waste safely and efficiently.
1.5 Secondary Research Questions :
Secondary research questions for this research paper are explained below:
1. What is the definition of solid waste?
2. How is waste management done in Dhaka City?
3. What are the impacts of solid waste generation?
4. What is the composition of solid waste in Dhaka?
5. What is the biggest problem in solid waste management?
6. What is the waste management policy of Bangladesh?
7. Why is solid waste management a challenge in developing countries?
8. How can we reduce pollution in Dhaka?
9. What are the main components of solid waste?
10. What is the role of local government in solid waste management?
 What is the definition of solid waste?
A "solid waste" is defined as any discarded material that is abandoned by being
disposed of, burned or incinerated, recycled or considered "waste-like." A solid waste
can physically be a solid, liquid, semi-solid, or container of gaseous material.
 How is waste management done in Dhaka City?
 7

Existing Waste Management of Dhaka City Corporation Wastes are normally

collected in a non-segregated manner and placed into little containers at
households. Wastes are then collected by organizations delegated by DCC in vans
to the secondary collection points. Waste trucks then carry the wastes to the
landfill sites Over six million people live in Dhaka and each day they produce
over 3,000 tons of household waste. Yet the Dhaka City Corporation collects less
than half of it. The rest remains on roadsides, in open drains and in low-lying
areas. This has a negative impact on the city's environment
 What are the impacts of solid waste generation?
Pollutants resulting from the management of solid waste have been shown
to affect the air, land, oceans, and waterways. In addition, solid wastes have other,
more indirect impacts such as reduction in feedstocks of natural resources,
because useful materials are disposed of rather than recycled.

 What is the composition of solid waste in Dhaka?

Show’s the composition of solid waste generated in Dhaka. Food/organic
waste makes up the significant portion of waste ending up at the landfill at
54.92% of total waste generated followed by plastic waste 14.70% and paper
12.60% (Kabir, 2015).

 What is the biggest problem in solid waste management?

One of the major waste management problems is the lack of adequate
collection and disposal infrastructure. And lack of proper collection,
transportation, and disposal of waste results in serious environmental issues,
including littering and illegal dumping.

 What is the waste management policy of Bangladesh?

The government has launched the National 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle)
Strategy for solid waste management. The city corporations and municipalities
already incorporate the concepts and guidance of this strategy for improving
their solid waste management activities.
 8

 Why is solid waste management a challenge in developing countries?

In the developing world, lack of infrastructure and capacity, inadequate waste
collection and disposal systems, and poverty are some of the challenges faced
in managing waste. Developing countries usually have less variety in their
economic activities due to the lack of resources, investment and
infrastructure.May

 How can we reduce pollution in Dhaka?

The Government of Bangladesh is considering different interventions to
reduce the emissions from those sources by adopting conversion of
diesel/petrol vehicles to CNG, increasing traffic speed in the city and by
introducing green technologies for brick production

 What are the main components of solid waste?

In developed areas without significant recycling activity it predominantly
includes food wastes, market wastes, yard wastes, plastic containers and
product packaging materials, and other miscellaneous solid wastes from
residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial sources

 What is the role of local government in solid waste management?

Results of the study showed that the local government inter alia, coordinates,
facilitates and regulates the activities of MSW management in the Metropolis.
The strategies it uses include preparing and implementing medium term
development plans, providing waste management infrastructure and land use
planning
1.6 Methodology of the study :
In the study, This research is done using a qualitative method. The study is
qualitative in nature and based on secondary sources of materials like books,
journal articles, government orders, rules, acts, newspaper reports, etc.
Relevant literature has also been collected through internet browsing. This
study largely depends on secondary sources. All the information has been
gathered and analysed from various points of view of different writers and
 9

researchers including current writers. This study has followed an extensive

qualitative method. Qualitative research focuses on specific situations and
emphasizes words rather than numbers. Basically it is research based on
documentary analysis. Documentary research is almost qualitative in nature
however it can be utilized for both qualitative or quantitative analysis. As the
study demands analysis of mostly secondary data, information has been
collected from various books, journals, articles, newspaper and government
records etc. No empirical method other than doctrinal methods has been used
for the purpose of this research.
1.7. Limitation of the study :
This research is carefully prepared, there are still some limitations and
shortcomings :
 The prime concern which has been a binding in the way of a better research
was lackage of sufficient time period. With more tine, more sources could have
been explored and more information could be gathered
 In this study it has been tried to analyze various books, journals, documents
etc.But the materials are not sufficient and very few pertinent research works are
found in this regard.
 Web documents on the research area are limited; even their downloading or
reading subscription is too high to have. So the non-availability of relevant
materials was a limitation to this work.
 As this study is for the first time and working so hard with an immature mind.
Not being able to deeply understand and properly analyze the subject is also a
limitation of the research paper.
1.8 Overview of the study :
 To present the findings and analyses, the study has been divided into Five
chapters. The introductory and Chapter First of this study provides a blueprint of
the investigation, this chapter includes the introduction, importance of the study,
Historical background, primary and secondary question, Methodology and
limitation of the study. The Chapter Second covers the literature review,
Definitions, of relevant concepts, Salient features, theoretical discussion of the
 10

study and this chapter also discusses the variable and their in dictators along with
the operational definition of variable. In Chapter Three legal Regime, this study is
going to discuss the procedure of solidarity wastage management in Dhaka
city And Chapter Four Analysis and Findings in this chapter this
study Explaining the secondary question. At last Chapter Five this study goes to
the Conclusion part and Explain the primary question. Explain the primary
question through Secondary Question. It has been said that the reader of this
research paper will be considerate enough to absolute such mistakes of
immaturity.
 11

Chapter -II: Literature Review

Introduction:
The Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) is responsible for solid waste management. DCC
is facing serious problems in providing a satisfactory service to the city dwellers with
its limited resources and a poor management plan. An inadequate information base
(regarding quantity, type and characteristics of wastes), poor operation endow
maintenance of service facilities and above all lack of civic awareness on the part of a
section of the population are adding up to the deteriorating environmental situation
Municipal corporations of the developing countries are not able to handle increasing
quantities of waste and a significant portion of wastes are not properly stored,
collected or disposed in the proper places for ultimate disposal due to lack of
enthusiasm, consciousness, loyalty, as well as money. There is a need to work
towards a sustainable waste management system, which requires environmental,
institutional, financial, economic and social sustainability. In less developed Asian
countries integrated management and safe disposal of solid waste can be found in
reference. Most appropriate systems for collection, storage and transportation and
choice of a suitable method for disposal, sustainable management programs and
proper planning is entirely depends on the characteristics of municipal solid waste
.The approach for SWM varies and should be compatible with the nature of a given
society. Many studies on SWM management in developing countries have revealed
that waste quantities and composition vary according to the characteristics of a place,
and the management must be adapted to certain limitations common to these settings.
Some of these limitations are attributed to the immaturity of SWM management
discipline in developing countries on the one hand and new laws to regulate solid
waste not systematically enforced because of a lack of clarity in the duties and
liabilities of the parties involved. On the other hand, indigenes depend on the
capability of municipal authorities for municipal solid waste collection and dispose.
The fundamental environmental issue in industrial and developing countries
throughout the world is how to best identify and manage waste streams. As
urbanization continues to take place, the management of solid waste poses major
public health and environmental problems in urban areas of many developing
 12

countries. Thus development must be sustainable such that it is based on an integrated

approach and interaction between social, cultural, economic and ecological.
Sustainability therefore means reducing the ecological footprint while simultaneously
improving the quality of life - for ours and future generations - within the capacity
limits of the globe [6]. SWM has been an integral part of every human society and
policies vary both within and between developing countries. The characteristics and
quantity of SWM arising from domestic, commercial, and industrial activities in a
region is not only the result of growing population, rising standards of living and
technology development, but also due to the abundance and type of the regions
natural resources. Waste generation dates back as far as man started roaming the
earth. The abandonment of the nomadic life in later years led to the creation of
permanent communities. Until recently, waste was given a low priority in most
municipalities, conference rooms and government offices responsible for public
health and safety. It was only way into the 19th century that the idea of collecting and
disposing of garbage in a systematic fashion became part of the general drive to
improve public health. In today's cities solid waste is removed and is either sent to
disposal or is reprocessed for subsequent use.
Defination of solid waste ;
The term solid waste may be used to refer to municipal waste and falls under seven
categories: residential (household or domestic waste), commercial, institutional, street
sweeping, construction and demolition, sanitation and industrial . Likewise, municipal
solid waste refers to solid wastes from houses, streets and public places, shops,
offices, and hospitals, which are very often the responsibility of municipal or other
governmental authorities. Solid waste from industrial processes is generally not
considered as municipal. However, because this waste finally ends up in the
municipal waste stream, it should be taken into account when dealing with solid
waste. Synonymous to solid waste are terms such as "garbage", "trash", "refuse" and
"rubbish" especially in some literature in North America
Concept of solid waste :
Primarily The DCC (Dhaka City Corporation) is liable for collecting and managing
waste in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In spite of limited waste management service of Dhaka,
door-to-door community based waste collection from household. ds to local dust bins
 13

is considered as a success. Informal waste recycling systems are also highly fruitful in
waste recycling and job creations for the poor. Wastes are normally collected in a
non- segregated manner and placed into little containers at households. Wastes are
then collected by organizations delegated by DCC in vans to the secondary collection
points. Waste trucks then carry the wastes to the landfill sites. A significant portion of
the solid waste is operated by an informal market to be recycled. Scavengers (Tokays)
collect the recyclable items from landfills and open dustbins and then sell those to a
waste recycling dealer (Bhandari). Besides, the Hawkers buy recyclables from door to
door and trade with the Bhandari. The items are then washed, dried and sorted by the
recycling dealers and traded in the market.
The process of waste management of city streets is different. Cleaners from DCC
cleans public places (drains, streets, parks etc.) regularly. All the wastes collected
from the city is dumped to the land filling sites. A massive amount of waste in Dhaka
is not collected because of lack of funds, infrastructure, and transportation
vehicles.[6]In addition to solid waste, electronic waste, construction waste, medical
waste, food waste and various forms of industrial wastes are produced in the city.
DCC does not have the capability to perform regulatory administration of these
wastes. Besides, there are no laws to regulate the management of these wastes. So,
these wastes are constantly being mixed with solid waste.
Methodology of solid waste:
The methodology of this survey consists of practical field observation and field based
data collection of solid waste generation, collection, transportation of solid waste
management situation through structured and non-structured questionnaire and formal
and non-formal interviews. The relevant secondary data for this study was collected
from published sources. During the survey some influential factors were also
considered such as: population growth, new consumer product in market, income
level, education which can affect waste generation. The overall work to be done is
described. This study was undertaken to assess the environmental conditions, solid
waste generation, collection, transportation solid waste management etc of Dhaka
City Corporation , and to identify the deficiencies for the improvement of existing
situation. In order to achieve the objectives a comprehensive literature review,
household surveys and field visits, and a questionnaire survey was conducted.
 14

„Household head" means the person who plays the main role in the decision-making
process of a family. In the absence of the household head, the second important adult
member of the family was interviewed. A questionnaire survey was also conducted
upon 100 respondents of Ashkona Dagenham area (Dhaka City Corporation.
Literature review of solid waste :
Around six thousands mini bins were installed at different points of Dhaka Around six
thousands mini bins were installed at different points of Dhaka in earlier 2016. But
the bins were installed not for houses or business entities, but for pedestrians so that
they can put light garbage into those instead of hither and thither. But the pedestrians
do not use the bins as was expected. They throw wastes on the street or footpaths.
[11
However, the street vendors prefer the bins. in earlier 2016. But the bins were
installed not for houses or business entities, but for pedestrians so that they can put
light garbage into those instead of hither and thither. But the pedestrians do not use
the bins as was expected. They throw wastes on the street or footpaths. However, the
street vendors prefer the bins. Two important initiatives have been undertaken for
Solid Waste Management in Dhaka. One was undertaken by Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2005 with the objectives of formulating a master plan
of Dhaka City and to develop capabilities and management skills of DCC. Another
initiative, 3R Strategy (The principle of reducing, reusing and recycling of resources
and products is often called the 3Rs) was undertaken in 2010 by the Department of
Environment (DoE), Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Government.
Towards sustainable waste management, 3Rs can play an important role protecting
environment from greenhouse gas emission and convert waste into invaluable
resources. Doe has introduced a program by building two waste management plants,
which will use solid waste collected from different parts of Dhaka to create compost
fertilizer. One such plant will be in Matuail under Dhaka South City Corporation
(DSCC) and the other in Amin Bazar under Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).
Each of the plants will be capable of producing 20 tones compost fertilizer per day
from solid waste. DCC expects producing fertilizer out of those plants by early 2018
Construction STS in Dhaka has been a noticeable development in waste management.
Construction of 52 STS in DNCC has enabled DNCC to remove great number of
waste containers from the roads [7]. 45 STSs were planned to be built in DSCC by this
 15

time, but only 12 has been completed so far. DNCC plans to build 2-4 STSs in each of
36 wards. In areas of primary collection, the Primary Waste Collection Service
Provider (PWCSP), an NGO is coordinating collections from households to STS. In
2016-17, 340 private operators were registered with the PWCSPECIES There are also
unregistered operators, who collect wastes from households to STS. Containers on the
street were bottlenecks in traffic movements, which were also solved by the
construction of STS.
Conclusion :
Population in Dhaka city as well in Bangladesh is increasing rapidly and waste
generation is also increasing. Depending on the education level, income level, house
type, waste generation varies. Waste generation types are changing due to the
adaption and availability of various packaging product (e.g., food etc.). It is found that
none of the families has segregation practice at the initial level of waste management
in houses and also waste pickers do not have any different designated place to dump
different waste in separate space. Source-segregated waste is essential for better
management, so households should be motivated accordingly. Segregation practice at
initial level in houses can increase the effectiveness of waste management and can
make it easy to waste picker to manage the wastes and waste collection for recycling
can be easier.