Non-compliant businesses to face punishment

Bangladesh is going to formulate a comprehensive national plan for solid waste management in a bid to convert waste into resources through reuse and recycling.

To this end, a gazette titled “Solid Waste Management Rules, 2021” has been published past week detailing instructions – first ever the country came up with any such initiative.

According to the gazette notification, product manufacturers, importers, retailers and customers, whoever breaches the rule will be subjected to prosecution, and face a two-year jail term or a financial penalty of Tk 2 lakh or both.

A recent study finds that, per capita solid waste generation is 150 kilogrammes in Bangladesh while a total of 22.4 million metric tonnes of waste are produced per year.

If this trend continues, per capita waste generation rate will be 220kg by 2025 and the total waste generation 47,064 metric tonnes which will pose a serious threat to environment.

Environmentalists have long demanded formulation of a national strategy and comprehensive plan for implementation of solid waste management.

The demand also came at a public hearing on “Solid Waste Management” at the Parliament Club in the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban last week.

The echo activists put emphasis on solid waste management fundamentals in urban waste management system in addition to just 3Rs (reuse, reuse and recycling).

“This will create economic opportunities, improve public health, and above all, bring a qualitative change to environment and nature,” they maintained.

Citing reference of developed countries, the environment group posited that waste are there disposed of based on different containers that hold trash according to type, and are duly managed following rules in course of time.

Unlike the above mentioned system, waste in Bangladesh are collected and disposed of without following any set rules.

The biggest flaw in waste management here is that waste is not collected separately from their sources.

The gazette of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has clearly issued directive in this regard, asking trash pickers to pick separately from their sources.

Responsibility of waste generator and user

According to the rules, residents, waste generators and users under the city corporations, municipality, district and upazila councils have to follow procedures prescribed by the local government authorities for dumping waste generated in workplaces or residences.

In this case, perishable, indigestible and domestic hazardous solid waste should be stored in three separate beans to be covered with different lids and then handed over to responsible waste collectors or organisations.

The rules add that waste must not be kept open as they spread bad smell that mixes with air and ooze liquid also – all contributing to environmental pollution.

Waste generated from construction work should be stored separately till handed over to local government authorities in such a way that dust from trash is not scattered in the air or any portion of waste does not fall here and there that is likely to finally end up in the drain being washed away by rain water.

It has been instructed to refrain from dumping individual or combined waste on roads, open spaces, beside or into drains or water body outside one’s own yard or having them burned out.  Solid waste cannot be dumped in parks, stations, terminals or public places except certain dustbins.

Organisational responsibility

According to the rules, daily garbage from shops, restaurants, hotels, markets, community centres and other residential, commercial or industrial establishments should be collected and disposed of at designated places. These waste cannot be dumped on roads, drains or incinerated. Besides, plastic bags cannot be used for waste.

Responsibility of product manufacturer and importer

Extended Producer’s Responsibility (EPR) manufacturers or importers of biodegradable disposable products will collect waste generated from tin, glass, plastic, single use plastic, polythene, multilayer packaging, bottles, cans and other products at the consumer level.

EPR guidelines need to be properly implemented. When advertising any product, buyers or consumers should be informed about waste management of the product of their respective organisations.

Violation of these provisions is punishable by imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or by a fine of Tk 2 lakh or both.

Responsibilities of local government authorities

Local government authorities will collect, transport and manage solid waste separately in three categories in an environmentally friendly and hygienic manner. In this case solid waste collection and management system will be monitored before they are collected in three separate categories.

In addition, decomposing waste from residential and commercial areas, hotels, restaurants, recreation centres, parks, educational institutions, raw markets, fish or fruit markets and slaughterhouses should be collected, composted or processed separately.

Household solid waste, solid waste and excrement from drains should be properly covered to send them to final removal site.

However, in the case of medical waste, the Medical Waste Rules, 2008 must be followed. When solid waste is to be taken to the landfill for removal, vehicles used for waste management must also have three different compartments. This will prevent solid waste from mixing with other waste during transportation.

Apart from issuing the guidelines to dispose of waste in an environmentally manner, the local government has been asked to make arrangements for power generation from waste.

In 2025, about 47,000 metric tonnes of waste will be generated daily which will require skilled manpower as well as infrastructure for this huge waste management job.

Asked about it, Mohammad Abdul Wadud Chowdhury, deputy secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, said: “We have to work in partnership with all agencies concerned. Besides, everybody has to be conscious about proper waste management.”

According to Dhaka North City Corporation Chief Executive Officer Selim Reza, alongside formulating policy on waste collection from homes, modern equipment will be procured while adequate manpower recruited and trained.

“A modern cleaner village will be built for waste management workers. Moreover, very soon the government will come up with steps to use waste for power generation,” he added.