MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN BANGLADESH: A STUDY OF X MUNICIPALITY

Abstract

Proper solid waste disposal is very important for the nature itself and its’ inhabitants. However, a study covering various aspects of solid waste management including management practices, prevailing problems and possible solutions are scarce in the literature. Accordingly, this study investigates a municipality of Bangladesh to understand the practices, problems and probable solutions of solid waste management. The dwellers of the surveyed municipality throw solid waste in various places like dustbin, drain, roadside and other crude dumping sites. Only about one-fourth of the respondents throw wastes to designated dustbins. More than half of the respondents don’t have knowledge about proper disposal of solid wastes. The study findings indicate that the survey respondents throw waste throughout the whole day. More than 80 percent of the respondents are either dissatisfied or highly dissatisfied with the existing solid waste management services of the municipality. The data indicate that about two-third of the respondents are willing to pay for improving the waste disposal system. The respondents informed that they are affected by various diseases such as diarrhea, pneumonia, asthma, and bronchitis during the last one year which they perceive as the outcome of improper solid waste management. Therefore, this study suggests for awareness development, time management of waste disposal, establishment of more disposal and collection points, employment of more manpower and vehicles, introduction of the ‘door to door’ waste collection mechanism, segregation of industrial and clinical wastes for ensuring a better managed solid waste disposal system in the municipality.