ISLAMABAD: The speakers on Saturday said that the specter of Pakistan’s waste crisis looms large, as approximately 48.5 million tons of solid waste are generated annually, exacerbated by yearly population growth of 2.4 percent and rapid urbanization.
The Institute of Urbanism (IoU), in collaboration with Heinrich Böll Stiftung (hbs), hosted an event to address this pressing challenge and harness the potential of waste as a resource.
The event quoted the Asian Development Bank report that only 50 to 70 percent of waste is collected from cities, leading to improper disposal that releases harmful emissions and hazardous leachate, contaminating soil and water. This results in more than five million lives lost each year due to waste-related illnesses, as highlighted by the World Health Organization.
The collaboration between IoU and hbs seeks to channel the energy of Pakistan’s youth, constituting over 64 percent of the population, to drive transformative change. This partnership culminated in a pioneering capacity-building session titled “Waste Management and Entrepreneurial Opportunities through Effective Recycling,” held at Punjab College of Science’s Blue Area campus.
Convert Waste Crisis into Opportunity
Dr. Ejaz Ahmed, Senior Research Fellow at IoU, emphasized the escalating presence of plastic waste, a significant contributor to clogged drainage systems. Rafia Mahmood, Senior Environmental Officer at WWF-Pakistan, shed light on plastic’s persistence in the environment and its infiltration into dietary habits. She urged adoption of sustainable waste management practices, invoking the mantra “Refuse, Reuse & Recycle.”
Ayesha Majid, Program Coordinator at IoU, charted Pakistan’s waste management journey and highlighted policy challenges. Notable progress, such as establishing landfill sites with segregation facilities, signifies steps toward sustainability.
Arsalan Ayaz and Saad Saleem from Trash Bee shared their journey from waste collection to recycling. They revealed that Pakistan’s annual waste production equals 16 times the height of K2, underscoring the gravity of the issue. Their call for innovative, sustainable solutions resonated strongly.
Shahid Islam, Principal of Punjab College, emphasized waste disposal as a collective responsibility ingrained in Islamic values. He stressed that adhering to waste segregation aligns with citizens’ role in community well-being and environmental preservation.
This event, tailored for students, sparked dynamic discussions yielding creative ideas. Proposals included private sector partnerships, fines for littering, and exploring waste-to-energy solutions. The core theme, however, remained the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
