Karachi is facing a plethora of challenges due to a poor system of waste management.

According to a waste audit conducted by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the average citizen of Karachi generates 0.49 kg of municipal solid waste (MSW) per day, amounting to 12,067 tonnes of MSW generated daily in the city.

Despite 81 percent of the waste being collected officially, only one percent is managed in environmentally sound ways or controlled facilities. This has led to a backlog of tonnes of waste and poses a significant threat to public health and the environment.

A recent study by NED University estimates that informal and small-scale providers offer waste collection services to almost half of the population of Karachi. This highlights that not only do these providers offer services to unserved areas, but they also contribute to the official collection of waste.

The problem of waste management has been prevalent in Karachi for the past three decades, but it has recently gained attention after the indiscriminate disposal of waste in open spaces and drains was seen as a major cause of flooding in the city, particularly in the more up-scale localities of Karachi. Furthermore, the accumulation of waste has also been linked to the spread of diseases such as malaria, dengue and cholera.

The waste management problem in Karachi is multifaceted and addressing it requires a comprehensive approach. One of the major challenges is the lack of infrastructure, including a shortage of landfills, transfer stations and recycling facilities.

Karachi is burdened by a host of challenges which have crippled the functioning of the city. Many of these issues could be addressed if the city’s waste management system is remedied

This has led to the indiscriminate disposal of waste in open spaces and drains, which not only contributes to flooding but also poses a significant threat to public health and the environment. Additionally, the majority of the waste is not properly segregated, which makes it difficult to recycle and recover reusable materials.

Another challenge is the lack of involvement of small-scale service providers in the official waste management system. These providers, who offer waste collection services to almost half of the population of Karachi, have a significant contribution to waste management in the city. However, they are often not recognised or included in the official waste management system, which limits their ability to provide effective services.

According to a recently held roundtable titled ‘Towards Karachi Declaration for a Cleaner City: Pathways Leading to Zero Waste’, a lack of data, planning, financial resources and political will present major challenges in addressing the waste management problem in Karachi.

There is a severe lack of data on the volume and composition of waste generated in the city, which makes it difficult to develop effective strategies to manage it. Additionally, there is a shortage of funding and resources to implement these strategies and a lack of political determination to prioritise waste management issues.

In Karachi, 50 to 60 percent of low-income areas are covered by Afghan and Pashtun waste collectors, most of whom also practise very smart recycling. However, these self-employed groups use archaic modes like cycles and donkey carts to collect and transport Karachi’s garbage.

Finally, the lack of policies, weak enforcement and under-capacitated institutions are also major challenges in addressing the waste management problem in Karachi. The city needs policies and regulations that are effective in reducing waste, recycling more and reining in the uncontrolled disposal of waste on open land.

However, these policies need to be supported by effective enforcement and institutions that are capable of implementing them.

To address these challenges, the city of Karachi needs to develop a comprehensive waste management strategy, which includes various components such as infrastructure development, the inclusion of small-scale service providers, raising awareness among citizens, data collection and analysis, and effective policies and regulations.

Furthermore, the city also needs to explore new technologies, such as composting and energy recovery from waste, which can help to reduce the volume of waste and recover valuable materials.

In addition to the challenges already mentioned, another issue that exacerbates the waste management problem in Karachi is the lack of public awareness and participation. Many citizens in the city are not aware of the importance of proper waste management and the role they can play in reducing the amount of waste generated and how they can improve the efficiency of the waste management system.

Without public awareness and participation, it is difficult to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable solution to the waste management problem in Karachi.

To address this issue, the city needs to develop and implement public awareness campaigns that educate citizens about the importance of proper waste management and how they can participate in the process.

This can include providing information on how to properly segregate waste, the benefits of recycling and the negative impacts of improper waste disposal. Additionally, the city should also involve the community in the planning and implementation of waste management projects, in order to ensure that the needs and concerns of the citizens are taken into account.

The group organising the waste management roundtables intends to draft and publish a Karachi Declaration for wider consultation. This will allow for a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to tackling the waste management problem in Karachi. It is important to involve stakeholders from different sectors and to gather input from experts in various fields to ensure a more effective and sustainable solution.

The waste management problem in Karachi is complex and multifaceted, and addressing it requires a comprehensive and holistic approach. The current system needs institutional, socio-technical, legislative and financial restructuring. It must involve key stakeholders, including informal and small-scale service providers.

By creating a vision for the city and sustainable waste management, Karachi can take the necessary steps to address this problem and ensure a cleaner and healthier environment for its citizens.

Shiza Aslam is currently heading the Circular Plastic Institute (CPI) as a research fellow at the Karachi School of Business and Leadership (KSBL)

Dr Suneela Ahmed is an associate professor, architect and urban researcher based in Karachi. She completed her masters in urban management from the University of Canberra and her PhD in urban design from Oxford Brookes University in the UK

Published in Dawn, EOS, February 5th, 2023