KARACHI is Pakistan’s only port city. It generates about 8,000 tons of solid waste per day. Ninety per cent of the waste generated is recyclable. The rapid growth of the city, lack of effective land use and proper and effective maintenance system of essential services have led to grave environmental problems.

The city has two landfill sites with a combined capacity to absorb 2,000 tons of waste a day for 20 years. Unfortunately, hardly 40pc of the waste is collected at a time due to lack of resources and poorly administered collection and disposal system, with the result that much of the city’s waste goes uncollected for long periods.

Solid waste, which is not collected or burnt, is thrown in drains, which results in choking of drains and further pollutes the environment. A proper system of solid waste management is lacking for the city and the various bodies responsible for waste disposal are inefficient.

For a city with a rapidly expanding population, the existing waste management capacity is far too inadequate and outmoded and needs to be improved; otherwise the problem of ineffective solid waste management services will continue to haunt those living in urban areas.

Moizzara

Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2015

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