Environmental security is one of the most under emphasixed topics of the non-traditional security concerns the world is facing now. Particularly for developing countries like Pakistan, that lack both resources and effective administration to tackle the challenges. Among these long-standing issues is the rising challenge of managing solid waste, of which the country produces approximately 50 million tons annually with a 2.4 percent increase.
Barakahu, a suburb of Islamabad provides a case study. According to reports, Barakahu alone produces six to right tons of solid waste daily. Previously in 2020, CDA tried to clean its streets but it was not sustainable.
According to an international solid waste association report, municipal waste is the second largest component of global solid waste. In less developed countries like Pakistan the mechanism of waste collection is not according to international safety and hygiene standards. The solid waste situation in Asia is alarming and needs prudent handling. Of the 50 largest dumping sites, 17 are in Asia, two in Pakistan.
Unplanned urbanization is a key cause. According to a Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency report, of the 37.9 percent of urban population, 25-30 live in scattered settlements with no proper water and sanitation infrastructure. According to an estimate by the Climate Change Ministry, Pakistan produces 71,000 tonnes of solid waste daily.
Pakistan is confronted with serious environmental challenges, and has the least support in the fight against climate change. Strong economic growth and contributing industrialisation has led to an uncontrolled increase in solid waste production. The country generates about 20,000,000 tonnes of solid waste yearly, increasing at over two percent annually. Much is burned or dumped in open air landfills creating serious environment and public health risks.
If the segregation of solid waste is successfully done at household level, it will prove very convenient for the waste collectors to sort the waste. For example, the harmful waste that is non-reusable can be burned to generate electricity. Food waste can be sent to the fertilizer industries and used to make organic fertilizers and pet foods. The reusable plastic and paper can be recycled to make new materials again. The capital gain from these industries can then be used to buy logistics for managing solid waste and hiring labor and waste collectors. Thus it can generate a circular economy which can prove to be very beneficial for the area if implemented.
Among the various reasons for the persistence of environmental catastrophes, unprocessed solid waste is at the top. Research shows that only 60 percent is collected from major cities in Pakistan. and 90 percent of that is disposed of in ubiquitous open dumping sites.
Bara Kahu is in Islamabad’s fourth peripheral zone. According to local municipal authorities, its population is 450,000, mainly in unplanned residential areas. It is continuously expanding in population and infrastructure, posing serious administrative challenges. CDA estimates approximately 6 to 8 tons of solid waste being produced by Barakahu per daily. Barakahu lacks systematic coordination between the local Union Councils, responsible for the primary waste collection and CDA, responsible for the secondary collection. Thus the dwellers have no choice but to dispose of their domestic waste in open dumping sites or nearby passing nullahs, or to burn it.
The heaps of garbage in the empty plots in Barakahu bear testimony to the inefficiency and indifference of administrative authorities to solid waste management. The natural water springs that flow from Margalla Hills and pass through the areas of Malpur, Barakahu and Bani Gala have becomes a pollution hub and have turned into stinky drains because they have become dumping grounds for domestic waste. According to WASA, if a 250-ml polythene bag was dipped into the lake one could find 500 coliform bacteria per millilitre in it (coliform: a bacteria found in human faeces, causing hepatitis). Despite various proposals to find alternatives and to clean these streams by building filtration plants, nothing has been implemented and no action taken by the authorities to address and resolve these issues permanently.
Keeping in view the socio-political aspects of Barakahu, the following policy recommendations are being made. The strategy is divided into three phases including surveys of the local residents to get an understanding of the overall awareness level and the consent of the citizens. This will also help indicate the root causes of the issue at primary and secondary level. The second phase would be to increase awareness of the message. The final phase will include implementation of solid waste management and recycling of international standard.
Initially a KAP (Knowledge, Attitude, Practices) survey should be conducted and followed with in-depth interviews to get detailed information about the issue from the residents which will help to point out the root causes of the issue at both primary and secondary level. This will help to get a knowledge about the present practices of the individuals and how they manage their household waste, their willingness to participate in such projects, how much the authorities are concerned about the issues and also the depth of their implications on the residents.
Electronic media such as TV commercials, advertisements on social media and ringtones can serve as a beneficial and efficient source for raising awareness among the residents of the area. Also, cautionary ads should be run on TVs and social media for example regarding the burning of household waste in open areas being fined, and dumping of hazardous chemicals or waste in open water reservoirs should be prohibited and people should be reminded that they would bear the consequences if caught doing such acts.
Men, women and children should be trained and guided according to their specified role that they can play in managing solid waste at personal and community level. The 5 Rs strategy should be advertised and marketed through posters and commercials.
During this process, the government should provide several incentives to engage and get public attention. For example, giving away free cloth-made reusable grocery bags to the residents and thus initiating “refuse the use of plastic bags”. Public should also be made aware of the “segregation of solid waste” strategy. The government should provide three different colours of bins in the streets and bags should be provided to the dwellers to segregate the solid waste.
The most harmful and non-useable materials such as broken glass, electric wires and switches, expired medicines, and such things should be kept in a separate bag and disposed of separately. Secondly the food waste or the kitchen waste should be packed separately so that it can be used to make organic fertilizers. If mixed with other trash, it would cause enormous air pollution because of the humble gas emissions that will eventually lead to several diseases. And lastly, the reusable materials, such as plastic bottles and paper, should be placed in a separate container.
If the segregation of solid waste is successfully done at household level, it will prove very convenient for the waste collectors to sort the waste. For example, the harmful waste that is non-reusable can be burned to generate electricity. Food waste can be sent to the fertilizer industries and used to make organic fertilizers and pet foods. The reusable plastic and paper can be recycled to make new materials again. The capital gain from these industries can then be used to buy logistics for managing solid waste and hiring labor and waste collectors. Thus it can generate a circular economy which can prove to be very beneficial for the area if implemented.
