Abstract

Solid waste management is one of the most intractable problems responsible for severe degradation of urban environments in developing countries. This is particularly true for Dhaka City, the capital of Bangladesh, with an estimated current population of 10 million. The city has experienced rapid population growth during the last two decades due to high rates of migration from all regions of the country. The heavy influx of migrants put severe strain on city services including solid waste management.

In Dhaka City, about half of all solid waste is generated by residential households. Inadequate management of domesticate solid waste, therefore, causes various environmental problems including health and sanitation over wide geographic areas of the metropolis. In recent years, there has been a growing interest among urban researchers and managers to look for a sustainable system of solid waste management. This paper focuses on household waste management, a major component of solid waste in Dhaka City.

The study was conducted in 1998 on both waste generators (Household) and waste management groups. The household data was collected through primary questionnaire survey in two out of the ten zones of the city encompassing residential areas of major socioeconomic groups. The institutional data was gathered from Dhaka City Corporation and other private and community based organizations. In addition, key person interview and field observations were used. Based on these, this paper analyzes the nature and causes of domestic waste management problems in Dhaka City and identifies future options of sustainable management.