MUNICIPAL solid waste, commonly known as garbage or trash, includes all waste material such as plastic bottles, used syringes, expired batteries, food scraps, newspapers, etc. According to a research, Pakistan generates 49.6 million tonnes of municipal solid waste per year; the figure has been increasing by more than 2.4 per cent annually.

Absence of proper management of the municipal solid waste leads to serious environmental problems. Most of the municipal waste is either dumped or burnt on vacant plots which causes land pollution and releases hazardous chemicals in the atmosphere.

A government report stated that major metropolitan areas generate 87,000 tonnes of solid waste per week. Karachi is the largest city in Pakistan which generates more than 16,500 tonnes of municipal waste daily. The situation in other cities is no different. The negligence of the departments concerned, poor provincial governance, bureaucratic hurdles, lack of public awareness, lack of urban management and town planning, and insufficient waste management equipment contribute to the problem.

During the recent monsoon spells, all kinds of filth and garbage kept lying on the roads and streets, and clogged the drains. The government should come up with a concrete plan to manage municipal solid waste in order to overcome health problems and to control environmental and land pollution.

Nimra Anjum
Faisalabad

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2022