Classification of solid waste,

sources, composition

By

Dr. Moazzam Ali Khan

Classification of solid waste,

sources, composition

• Elements of solid waste management

Problems of Solid Waste

Management in Karachi

Is municipal waste our number one waste

problem?

• NO!! Municipal waste is a very small part of total solid wastes.

• Who generates the most waste?

• 75% Mining and petroleum products

• 13% Agriculture

• 9.5% Industry

• 1% Sewage sludge

• 1.5% Municipal

Why Solid waste!

• According to the daily "DAWN" dated

February 27th,2002, Karachi alone

produces about some 10,000 metric tones of

solid waste daily out of which only 30 - 40

percent is transported and dumped into open

landfills while the rest is either left

unattended or is being burnt in-situ.

SOLID WASTE

• MUNICIPAL

• INDUSTRIAL

• HAZARDOUS

STAGES OF SOLID WASTE

MANAGEMNT

• Primary collection

From house hold to

dustbin sites collected

manually

Secondary collection

From dustbin to

landfill sites done

mechanically

• Final disposal

At landfill sites

HAZARDOUS WASTE

• SYRINGES,

NEEDLES,

BANDAGES

• FLUIDS, ANIMAL

AND HUMAN

TISSUES

NON HAZARDOUS WASTE

• PAPER, CARD

BOARDS, FOOD

WASTE

Solid waste generation in districts of Karachi 1991-2010

Source : NESPAK study and estimates (1993)

Districts

Present solid waste

generation (Tons/day)

Future solid waste

generation (Tons/day)

Total

percentage

1991 1996 2001 2010

East+

Malir

1602 2613 3623 8122 33

West 0777 1267 1757 3938 16

South 1021 1664 2306 5168 21

Central 1165 1900 2635 5907 24

Cantonme

nt board

0291 475 0659 1477 06

Total 4856 7918 10980 24612 100

Solid waste composition in Karachi

(2005-2006, IES data)

S.No

Components Percentage by weight

Low income

areas

Middle

income

areas

High income

areas

Average

1. Food waste 11.86 25.75 28.25 21.95

2. Plastic and

polythene

5.50 8.54 10.54 8.19

3. Glass 1.25 6.50 8.85 5.53

4. Paper and

cardboard

15.60 12.85 15.54 14.66

5. Bones and shell 0.25 2.75 4.62 2.54

6. Metals 0.65 1.25 4.75 6.65

7. Leather and

Rubber

6.43 8.75 5.65 6.94

8. Textile waste 20.25 11.50 9.32 13.69

9. Wood 5.57 2.25 3.10 3.64

10. Miscellaneous 32.64 19.86 9.38 20.22

Total 100 100 100 100

solid waste

Disposal

transport

Separation and

processing and

transformation of

and processing

at the source

Collection

Transfer and

Waste handling,

Waste

Generation

separation, storage,

Functional Elements of Solid Waste Management

Hierarchy of Integrated Solid Waste Management

Composition of solid waste in Karachi

• Recycled items (75%)

• Non recyclable (25% approx.)

Under prevailing system, following are the five elements of SWM in Karachi.

i. Primary storage

ii. Primary collection/transport

iii. Secondary storage

iv. Secondary transport

v. Final disposal (dumping ground/landfill sites)

COLLECTION, TRANSPORT AND STORAGE

OF SOLID WASTE

Where lies the problem?

• 9 major internationally funded studies have been prepared

• Recommendations of these studies have never been implemented fully.

• Even if they had been, they would not have solved Karachi’s SWM problem because none of them recognized the crucial role of the recycling industry, most of which is in the informal sector.

Where lies the problem?i. The solid waste reaching the dust bins is mixed i.e it contains

household, commercial and even commercial refuse. Many a times trimming of the lawns and trees is also added.

ii. The primary collection and storage system is ineffective. The municipalities staff carries out street sweeping in the early morning and late evening, whereas the shopping centers open their shutters at around 10 to 11 a.m.

iii. The refuse thrown at odd times, by the shopkeepers and evenhouseholds, having no primary storage arrangement, that isone of the reason for insanitation witnessed most of the time onthe roads/streets of Karachi

iv. The staff deployed is un-trained.

v. Ideally the refuse should be put inside the containers but practically the conditions are opposite.

vi. Approximately 500 vehicles carryout the job of secondary transport of solid waste in the city of Karachi. Timings of waste collection are not synchronized. Role of land mafia.

Where lies the problem?

vi. The design of the containers is such that, it is not veryeasy for the people, domestic servants and sanitaryworkers especially females to dispose household garbagedirectly into the containers. This is one of the basicreasons for garbage being thrown all around.

vii. The practice of burning of refuse by the sanitaryworkers/motor coolies in attempt to reduce the volume,and by the domestic servants especially for garden refuseor by scavengers to get iron, metals (e.g wires from usedtyres) makes these containers an environmental healthhazard.

Where lies the problem?ix. If for any reasons, the garbage is not removed from the site on

the same day (which is not uncommon), thedecomposition/putrefaction promoted by the high temperatureand humidity of Karachi and resultant emission of gasesmakes the life of the neighborhood miserable.

x. The scavengers spread the garbage and thereby createunaesthetic sites, which is a cause of nuisance. The practiceexposes the waste to a variety of vectors of diseases such asflies, rats and other rodents.

x. We do not have a separate system for collection ofhazardous/toxic/hospital waste. This practice exposes the publicin general and scavengers in particular to the dreadful effects oftoxic waste.

xi. A large number of people and NGOs may advocate

encouraging this practice of scavengers on the plea that it

helps in minimizing the amount of solid waste for

secondary removal and is a source of collection of

recycle-able, but in doing so they do not take into account

that this is one of the worst forms of the “Child Labour”.

It exposes the scavengers to a number of diseases e.g

tetanus etc. and is a major public health problem.

Final disposal

Following are the designated landfill sites inKarachi.

1. Jam Chakro

Near Surjani Town

2. Sector 6, Mehran Town

Near Korangi, Industrial Area.

3. Govind Pass

Near Hub Chowki

4. Dhabeji

Near Railway Station, Dhabeji, District Thatta