Evaluation of recycling practices of solid waste in selected areas of Dhaka city.

Abstract

Solid waste recycling approach is a part of sustainable and efTcctive waste management system for most of the cities in the world. In the course of achieving proper solid waste management, many efforts in devcloping countries especially in l3angladesh have been f()cused on waste collection and disposal. In l3angladesh although institutionally the waste recycling part of waste management has been ignored, many individual dealers and house-to-house waste collectors have undertaken the recycling part of waste managcment as a source of income for long. The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze the potential of traditional recycling of solid waste in selected ten wards of Dhaka city. The study reveals that the private sector IS playing an important role in Dhaka in recycling of solid waste. The private sector comprises a chain constituted by waste bin collectors (Tokai), house-to house waste collectors (Feriwala), recyclable dealers (small, medium and large recyclable dealers) and industries at the top. The tokais collect waste from dustbins and disposal sites, while the feriwalas are the buyers of separated recyclable items stored for selling at the primary source (household). This study shows that 197 tokais and 135 feriwals arc involved in the chain of recycling network in the study areas.On the other hand feriwalas arc playing a very important role in the recycling process. This estimate is based on the information provided to by the recyclable dealers, feriwalas and brokers. They purchase recyclable materials like bottles, broken glasses, tin can, containers, newspaper, magazines, aluminum utensils, iron items (construction rod, sanitary fittings, etc.) in exchange of money or swcets. The tokais and feriwalas then approach small recyclable dealers (SRD) who purchase all types of waste and pay them accordingly. The study shows that there are 134 SRDs at the sclected areas. The SRD then approaches medium recyclable dealers (MRD) to sell particular kinds of recyclable material. From the field investigation it is found that there arc 123 MRDs in the study areas. The MRDs usually deals in more than two kinds of specific wastes and passes these recyclable wastes to the large recyclable dealers (LRD) who essentially specialize in specific wastes. There are about 86 LRDs in the study IV l areas. The recyclable wastes arc finally passed on to about 82 recycling industries. Around 7.2% (15 tons/day) of total generated waste of the study areas are recycled by the private. More than 4000 people arc involved in the recycling chain of the study areas.