3.4 Studi Kasus Komposting - Dhaka, Bangladesh

Summary

In this presentation, Maqsood Sinha and Iftekhar Enayetullah from Waste Concern, a social business in Bangladesh, discuss their large-scale composting project in Dhaka. They highlight the challenges of waste management in Bangladesh due to rapid population and economic growth. Their solution focuses on recycling organic waste through an aerobic composting process, which generates carbon credits and organic fertilizer. They emphasize the importance of public-private partnerships, source separation, and quality control for success. Waste Concern also shares lessons learned, advocating for government support, composting standards, and inclusion of the informal sector in waste management efforts.

Takeaways

• 😀 Solid waste management is a growing issue in Bangladesh due to rapid population and economic growth, with daily waste generation increasing from 6,500 tons in 1991 to 24,000 tons in 2014, and projected to reach 47,000 tons by 2025.
• 😀 Waste Concern, a social business enterprise, is addressing solid waste problems in Bangladesh by implementing large-scale composting projects, like the one in Bhulta, Dhaka, focused on organic waste recycling.
• 😀 Around 70% of the waste generated in Dhaka is organic, presenting an opportunity for recycling through composting, which can also mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from landfills.
• 😀 Waste Concern uses the 3 R approach—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—by segregating waste at the source, transporting it to compost plants, and turning it into organic fertilizer through aerobic composting.
• 😀 The composting project in Dhaka is the first large-scale, registered Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project in the city, allowing Waste Concern to claim carbon credits for organic waste recycling.
• 😀 Waste Concern's business model relies on two revenue streams: compost sales and carbon credits, though the company is currently relying mostly on compost sales due to a crash in the carbon market.
• 😀 The composting process involves monitoring temperature and aerating piles using forced air to maintain thermophilic conditions, ensuring high-quality compost production over a 40-day composting period and an additional 30-day maturing phase.
• 😀 Waste Concern's composting technology is affordable and scalable, particularly suitable for small and medium-scale towns and has been patented for wider global use.
• 😀 The company has partnered with the United Nations ESCAP to replicate its composting model in cities across Asia and the Pacific, including Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, Pakistan, and Indonesia.
• 😀 Key challenges for composting projects include competition with subsidized chemical fertilizers, the need for government support for source separation and private-public partnerships, and maintaining high compost quality standards to build farmer trust.

Q & A

What is the main problem with solid waste management in Bangladesh?

The main problem with solid waste management in Bangladesh is the rapid population growth and economic development, which has led to an increase in the amount of solid waste generated. In 1991, 6,500 tons of solid waste were generated daily, which increased to around 24,000 tons per day by 2014. The projection for 2020/2025 is around 47,000 tons per day.

How much of Dhaka's solid waste is organic in nature?

Around 70% of the solid waste generated in Dhaka is organic in nature.

What are the issues associated with landfills in Dhaka?

The major issues with landfills in Dhaka are improper design, leading to greenhouse gas emissions (mainly methane), groundwater and surface water pollution due to leachate, and the increasing need for more land for waste disposal. This creates health hazards and escalates waste management costs.

How does Waste Concern address the issue of solid waste management?

Waste Concern addresses the issue by promoting a waste segregation system, where organic waste is separated, collected from the source, and then processed through aerobic composting to produce organic fertilizer. This reduces landfill waste, lowers pollution, and creates value from waste.

What is the key feature of Waste Concern's composting project in Dhaka?

The key feature of Waste Concern's composting project in Dhaka is its large-scale implementation of aerobic composting, which is the first registered Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project in the region that claims carbon credits for recycling organic waste.

What is the revenue model for Waste Concern's composting project?

The revenue model is based on two main streams: the sale of compost and the sale of carbon credits. However, due to the recent crash in the carbon market, Waste Concern currently relies primarily on the sale of compost for revenue.

How does Waste Concern ensure the quality of compost produced?

Waste Concern ensures the quality of compost by controlling the moisture content, aerating the compost piles, and maintaining the temperature during the composting process. Quality control is emphasized throughout the process, including during the maturing phase and packaging.

What is the process used for composting at Waste Concern's facility?

The process used for composting involves placing organic waste in specially designed composting boxes with a draining system and forced air aeration. The compost undergoes a thermophilic process for around 40 days, followed by a 20-30 day maturing phase before being bagged and marketed.

How does Waste Concern manage the composting process in terms of scale and technology?

Waste Concern uses a patented box method of composting, which is affordable and suitable for both large-scale and small to medium-scale towns. This method has been successfully replicated in various cities across Asia and the Pacific.

What are some of the lessons learned by Waste Concern in implementing recycling projects?

Key lessons include the importance of government subsidies for compost, clear policy guidelines on public-private partnerships, ensuring compost quality, the need for source separation of waste, and the inclusion of the informal sector in recycling projects. Furthermore, a standardized compost testing protocol and a specialized marketing company are crucial for the success of composting projects.