Solid Waste Management Assignment 01

Evaluating the existing municipal solid waste management

system in Lahore, Pakistan.
Asad Bilal Chadder, (s5379917)
Department of Environmental Engineering & Pollution Control, Griffith University, (Nathan Campus)

ABSTRACT
This research report evaluates the present state of solid waste management in Lahore, a significant
city in Pakistan, drawing insights from various studies in the field. The assessment delves into both
quantitative and qualitative dimensions, scrutinizing the physical infrastructure and governance
frameworks of the existing waste management system. Currently, municipal solid waste generation
stands at 5,563 tons per day, with projections indicating a doubling by 2050. The focus primarily lies
on waste collection, accounting for 84%, while proper recycling facilities are lacking. Although a
composting and RDF (Refuse-Derived Fuel) units exist at the dumping site, it operates below its full
capacity. Recommendations advocate for promoting recycling, increasing public awareness, and
involving the informal sector to implement advanced, sustainable, and cost-effective waste
management solutions to address the global challenge effectively.

INTRODUCTION will explore the key stakeholders responsible

Rapid urbanization, coupled with economic
growth and inadequate waste management
practices in developing nations, is a key driver
of the escalating global waste generation
challenge. This study focuses on analysing the
current solid waste generation and
management system in Lahore, the second-
largest city in Pakistan, with a current
population of 11.19 million (Statistical Bureau
of Pakistan, 2017). Lahore is chosen due to its
rapid population growth rate of around 3.2%,
significantly higher than the national average
(Ali et al., 2018) .The paper aims to assess
Lahore's contribution to global and future solid
waste generation, evaluate existing practices,
identify limitations and gaps in waste
management technology, and examine the
impacts of these deficiencies. Furthermore, it
for solid waste management in Lahore.
Lahore's poor waste management is causing
more environmental problems, and if we don't
act soon, things will only get worse.
PROFILE OF SELECTED REGION
The increasing trend of solid waste generation
is global problem. The current solid waste
which is being generated around 2.126 billion
of tons per year is expected to reach 3.782
billion of tons per year till 2050 see Fig 1,
(Beyond an Age of Waste Turning Rubbish into a Resource, 20
According to,
(Kaza et al., n.d.)
globally, around 67% of the total
generated waste is properly managed and poor
management of rest 33% polluting oceans,
clogging drains, causing floods, spreading
diseases through breeding of vectors,
worsening respiratory issues from burning
waste, endangering animals, and hindering
economic development, like reduced tourism.
Countries of South Asian region contributes
17% of total waste generation globally with
current 334 million tons annually and will be
doubled till 2050 (Kaza et al., n.d.).
This will be mainly because of rapid
population and economic growth of that
region. South
3.78
3.22
2.68
2.12
2020 2030 2040 2050
Figure 1: Global solid waste generation
Note: Source UNDEP outlook report, 2024.
Asian region is consisting only under
developing countries which ranks poor when it
comes to proper solid waste management with
collection rate not more than 70%. Pakistan is
under developing which belongs to the South
Asian region and among eight countries which
are expected to be home of 50% of total earth
population. According
(Development Bank, 2021)
, Pakistan presently generates
approximately 30 million tons of solid
municipal waste each year, accounting for
roughly 8.9% of the total waste generated in
South Asia. Lahore city is the second largest
municipal solid waste contributor to Pakistan
with 2.78 million tons per year
(Iqbal et al., 2022)
. This generation is expected to be more
than double by 2050 due rapid population
growth, urbanization, and economic growth.
As one of the significant contributors to waste
generation regionally and globally, coupled
with expectations of high future solid waste
production, it is imperative to enhance solid
waste management for the city of Lahore.
SOLID WASTE GENERATION AND
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The volume of waste produced in Lahore has
notably risen over time, primarily due to the
city's population growth, urban expansion, and
the construction of numerous housing societies
annually. According to historical waste
collection data from 2011 to 2022, Lahore
city's waste generation rate is 0.54 kg per
capita per day. With the current population
under the Metropolitan Corporation Lahore
estimated at 10.4 million (excluding
cantonment areas), the daily waste generation
stands at approximately 5563 tons per day. On
average, around 84% of this waste is collected,
based on collection data at the Lokhdair site
from October 2021 to September 2022
(Iqbal et al., 2022)
. Waste generation is influenced by
household income, seasonal variations, and
cultural or religious activities
(Masood et al., 2014)
. For instance, generation of waste is
more during Eid ul Azha due to animals’
scarification and special duties are assigned for
better management during that period. A
recent study
(Beyond an Age of Waste Turning Rubbish into a
indicates that
waste generation in developing cities is
projected to double by 2050, due to improve of
living standards, rapid population, and
economic growth. As per the Lahore Waste
Management Company (LWMC), municipal
solid waste (MSW) primarily consists of
household waste (domestic waste),
occasionally accompanied by commercial
wastes, construction and demolition debris,
sanitation residue, and waste from streets
collected by a municipality within a specified
area (Masood et al., 2014). The waste
composition in Lahore predominantly
comprises 56.3% biodegradable waste, 9.21%
textile waste, 10.64% plastic, 6.05% dry grass,
and 3.2% paper, among other miscellaneous
items Fig 2 (Development Bank, 2021).

Waste Composition
(%)
Miscellaneous 3.07
Sieve remaining >6mm 2 recycled, while around 8% of the total
Domestic Hazardous waste 1.36
Ceramic, stone, and soil 6.4
Bottle and glass 0.69
Metal 0.06
Leather and Rubber 1
Plastic 10.64
Dry Grass & Wood 6.05
Textile 9.21
Paper 3.2
Kitchen Green Waste
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Fig 2: Solid waste physical composition
Note: Source ADB
EXISTING SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Municipal solid waste in Lahore city is
collected both formally and informally,
employing a variety of vehicles for
transportation to designated dumpsites for
compositing, RDF processing and landfilling.
Additionally, a portion of organic waste
undergoes recycling processes. According to
the (Development Bank, 2021), approximately
80% of solid waste is collected in Lahore,
leaving around 20% of the waste uncollected.
Waste collection in Lahore is conducted
through two main methods: primary and
secondary collection. Primary waste collection
involves door-to-door collection using
polybags provided by private companies and
carried out by manpower from either private
companies or informal waste collectors using
donkey carts or wheelbarrows. After sorting
out recyclables, the collected waste is then
transported to container sites for secondary
collection by the LWMC
(Masood et al., 2014)
. The waste collected in containers from
the previous step is then transported to
disposal site using 500 vehicles operated by
LWMC. The collected waste undergoes
management processes including RDF
(Refuse-Derived Fuel) production, compost
formation, and landfilling at designated dump
sites. Approximately 1000 tons per day are
managed through RDF and composting, while
the remaining waste is handled through
controlled landfilling methods
(Iqbal et al., 2022)
. According to an estimate,
approximately 27% of waste is informally
collected waste is recycled in the form of
compost by Lahore Compost (private)
Company. contributing to a total recycling rate
of 37% (Masood et al., 2014). Despite a
commendable waste collection rate, Lahore
city currently lacks a formal recycling plant.
Aligning with the global 3R (reduce, reuse,
and recycle) trend is imperative to address the
anticipated increase in waste generation
56.32
resulting from rapid economic and population
growth. Therefore, efforts to enhance
recycling practices must be prioritized to
effectively manage future waste challenges in
Fig 3a: Primary Collection the city.
Source: Lahore Waste Management Company
(LWMC)
INSTITUTIONAL AND FINANCIAL
ASPECTS
Numerous institutions, comprising government
agencies, private organizations, informal
groups, and
international bodies, Fig 3b: Secondary Collection
play pivotal roles in Lahore's solid waste
management sector. Prominent one is the
Lahore Waste Management Company
(LWMC) (Ali et al., 2018) Established in
2010, LWMC was founded as a non-profit
entity aimed at enhancing solid waste
management practices. In 2012, LWMC made
a deal with two Turkish companies, Al-Bayrak
and OZPAK, to enhance solid waste
management. Lahore city was split into two
parts: Zone A and Zone B. Al-Bayrak was
given the job of collecting waste in Zone A,
while OZPAK took charge of Zone B.
 (Masood et al., 2014) . The section II of
National Environmental Quality Standards
(NEQ’s) framed by Pakistan Environmental
Protection Act, puts restrain on the amount and
concentration of waste which is improperly
disposed. Although, enforcement of this law is
questionable, since pollution resulted from
poor waste management is still on rise
(Ali et al., 2018)
. International institutions such as the
Asian Development Bank (ADB), United
Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and
World Bank (WB) administer funded projects
for Pakistan which helps to assess the state of
solid waste management in Lahore. These
projects encompass the examination of waste
collection, disposal methods, and future
projections for waste generation. They offer
guidelines and solutions aimed at addressing
solid waste management challenges in
Pakistan, aligning them with global
sustainability objectives.
Households bear the burden of waste
collection and disposal charges. The initial
phase of door-to-door collection entails
gathering waste from households and
transferring it to centralized collection
containers for secondary collection. This task
is typically carried out by individuals
informally engaged in the sector, who charge
approximately 200-300 PKR per month for
their services (Ashraf et al., 2016). Households
are billed for secondary waste collection and
disposal fees through their water bills,
facilitated by the Water and Sanitation Agency
(WASA). The total water bill includes a
21.45% charge allocated for waste collection,
with 15% of this amount designated as the
collection fee by WASA. The remaining 85%
of the collected funds are directed to the
Lahore Waste Management Company
(LWMC). LWMC, in turn, compensates
private organizations such as Al-Bayrak at a
rate of 13.4 US dollars per ton for the
collection and disposal of solid waste
(Ashraf et al., 2016).
CHALLENGES, ISSUES AND GAPS
The city of Lahore grapples with diverse
health and environmental challenges due to
insufficient waste management, influenced by
various factors. Involvement of multiple
stakeholders complicates effective
management, exacerbated by a lack of urgency
among decision-makers
(Beyond an Age of Waste Turning Rubbish into a Resour
. Rapid urbanization worsens the
situation, as efforts to improve waste
management lag demand. Unavailability of
authentic data further hinders progress in cities
like Lahore. Inadequate waste management in
poorer countries leads to severe health
repercussions, including illnesses and fatalities
(Beyond an Age of Waste Turning Rubbish into a Resource, 20
. Rainwater passing
through waste heaps contaminates water
sources, while mosquito breeding in these
piles escalates diseases like dengue which has
been serious challenge for Lahore city from
last few years (Nasir et al., 2018). Limited
funds and a scarcity of local technical
expertise hinder progress in waste
management (Masood et al., 2014) . The
Lahore Waste Management Company must
realign its strategy to prioritize recycling
instead of focusing on collection and dumping
and involve private stakeholders, thereby
addressing sustainability goals. Bridging the
gap in technical expertise is crucial. Overall,
Lahore faces significant challenges in waste
management, stemming from funding
shortages, technical deficits, and a lack of
global alignment.
CONCLUSION
Lahore city is making significant strides in
solid waste management, boasting an
impressive collection rate of 84%, which
surpasses the average among underdeveloped
and lower-income cities in the South Asia
region. Various methods, ranging from manual
collection using manpower and small to large
tools and vehicles, are employed to transport
waste to designated dumpsites. However, with
the projected increase in population and
economic growth, solid waste generation is
expected to double in the coming years. To
address this challenge, it is essential to
introduce advanced solid waste management
practices such as the 3R approach (reduce,
reuse, recycle) and recycling initiatives to
 safeguard public health and preserve the
environment.
Kaza, S., Yao, L., Bhada-Tata, P., & Woerden, F.
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