Issues and Challenges of Municipal Solid Waste Management Practices in Selected Sectors of Islamabad, Pakistan (P-0811) (MFN 5499)

Abstract

Solid waste is one of the most visible and pressing urban environmental problems in both developed and developing countries. Urbanization, demographic growth and economic development all contribute to the generation of waste, which overloads the capacities (budget, personnel and infrastructure) of the local authorities. This study focuses on issues and challenges of solid waste management in the selected sectors (F-6, F-7, G-6 and G-7) of Islamabad. We have calculated total number of population of selected four sectors and find the total amount of municipal solid waste generated in each sector. Then we segregate the municipal solid waste and tried to find out different types of materials present in it. Beside the collection system still the capital neither has sanitary landfill nor incinerator which is the two most common methods for disposing after segregation of waste. The waste is generally dumped at the disposal site in I-14 sector or burn in the open. The city situation in sector G-6 and G-7 is such that the residents face a lot of problems due to improper management of solid wastes. This is not because the municipality is not doing their work properly or work negligence but it is due to the old conventional working methods. On the other hand CDA is also facing many problems in managing MSW due to poor cooperation and lack of public awareness level. In this study GIS was used to implement a proper route for waste collecting vehicles. In this way every vehicle covers its allotted area and picks waste from every dumping site.