Pakistan faces diverse challenges in municipal solid waste management across its provinces, with Lahore notably leading in outsourced waste solutions compared to other regions like Balochistan and Islamabad.

The Global Waste Management Outlook report 2024 predicts that solid waste will increase from 2.3 billion tonnes to an alarming 3.8 billion tonnes between 2023 and 2050, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). With the world population skyrocketing, attention needs to be redirected to the mismanagement of solid waste. Improper disposal not only causes health crises but also results in greenhouse gas emissions, further compromising climate change efforts. Pakistan, too, produces around 49.6 million metric tonnes of solid waste yearly, contributing to the global trend of growing solid waste.
However, contrary to how this mountain of waste is viewed as a bane, it can primarily serve as a source for resource preservation, recycling, and energy production, translating to a sustainable circular economy. These circular economies based on waste prevention, reuse, recycling, and disposal are widely acknowledged practices all over the globe. Pakistan, too, can take the mounting heaps of garbage and waste as an opportunity by promoting a sustainable circular economic action plan. Not only will solid waste management aid in addressing the waste disposal crisis, but it will also create jobs.
Current Solid Waste Management System
With a population of over 240.5 million people, Pakistan produces 32.6 million metric tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) annually. Municipal authorities have, however, been able to collect a mere 50 to 60 percent of the generated MSW, while the average waste generation rate stands at 0.43 kilogram per capita per day (kg/capita/day). 

 Figure 1. Statistics driven from MDPI  

The solid waste management system varies across different cities and provinces of Pakistan; however, mismanagement is evident throughout. Municipalities primarily employ donkey carts and handcarts for solid waste collection. Secondary collection and transfer typically involve open tractors, trollies, and trucks, which constitute the waste collection fleet. In certain localities, sanitary personnel and street sweepers gather solid garbage from small piles and dustbins using wheelbarrows and brooms, then store it in warehouses.
Lahore is the only city in Punjab with a proper system for managing, treating, and disposing of solid waste, which has been outsourced to Turkish businesses Albayrak and OzPak. Apart from Lahore, no other city in Punjab has a comparable system for solid waste treatment, management, or disposal. Additionally, the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) routinely issues tenders for various waste management projects throughout the province to enhance services. Meanwhile, the Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP) plans to construct a sanitary landfill in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Balochistan, the largest province in Pakistan in terms of size, lacks waste management infrastructure.
Furthermore, the capital Islamabad, which has a population of about 2.6 million, generates about 1535 tonnes of solid waste every day. But only 60 to 70 percent of this waste is collected by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). To make matters worse, the remainder is left to build up in streets, open landfills, and vacant lots, where it is frequently burned, resulting in severe air pollution and worsening smog.

 Figure 2. Source: International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

How Can the Circular Economic Model Benefit Pakistan?
The world population is rising exponentially, which means more solid waste generation, increased emissions and pollution. With the climate crisis looming, the world has shifted attention to circular economic models. The goal is to transition to a "circular economy," in which waste and resource consumption are simultaneously reduced, and materials and products are kept within the value chains for as long as possible. The shift to a circular economy requires reorganizing the solid waste management systems. This change will be made possible in three main ways: 

▪    Placing responsibility on manufacturers to develop goods and products with prolonged lifespans.
▪    Reuse and recycle waste products, including steel, plastics, rubber, glass, etc.
▪     Harnessing energy out of waste via Waste to Energy (WtE) projects.

Figure 3. Circular Economic Action Model

Lahore is the only city in Punjab with a proper system for managing, treating, and disposing of solid waste, which has been outsourced to Turkish businesses Albayrak and OzPak. Apart from Lahore, no other city in Punjab has a comparable system for solid waste treatment, management, or disposal. 

Prevention Via EPR Policy
Prevention primarily entails designing products and goods in a way that not only extends their lifespans but also prevents them from joining the solid waste piles. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy tool that holds manufacturers and industrialists accountable for their products, going beyond what is already required. This includes having them responsible for managing their used products to keep the product running within the value chains. These regulations within EPR may involve moving entirely or substantially the waste management operations and their associated costs from the government to industrialists. This can encompass waste collection, sorting, treatment, and recycling as well as waste recovery. 
As a result, all parties involved in a product's value chain accept some degree of accountability for its environmental costs. This encourages producers, industrialists, and importers to think about environmental regulations and issues, leading to better product design, material selection, environment-friendly production processes, disposal, and recycling procedures. 
Early in the 1990s, this program was first supported in Europe. However, it has been effectively extended to most European Union (EU) member states since then. EPR has helped the European region achieve sustainable economic development and has produced results in Europe's waste management and recycling sectors. The adverse environmental effects of some products have been lessened because industrial growth has been decoupled from environmental sustainability. These policies have also led to new technologies, increased public awareness and modernized solid waste management systems. Therefore, EPR is crucial in supporting the shift to a sustainable circular economy.
Recycling and Employment Generation
Out of the total municipal solid waste generated annually, about 50 percent of it is collected for recycling and reuse in Pakistan. Solid waste is categorized into glass, metal, paper, plastic and rubber because of the recycling-reuse potential. Recycling is one of the best ways to cut down on solid waste and preserve natural resources since it allows products to be reused and reincorporated into the value chains. Pakistan lacks sufficient waste recycling facilities; however, it can draw important lessons from China's circular economic model to make the most out of its mounting solid waste. China is making an effort to increase its recycling capacity to 30 percent by 2030 by investing USD 6.3 billion. With the current investments, it has been projected that China will collect revenues totaling USD 167 billion from the waste recycling market by 2025 alone.
The solid waste management sector offers great potential for livelihood creation. Establishing recycling-reuse plants and WtE projects can ensure employment opportunities. Although the informal recycling industry has been thriving, the problem of child labor persists. A circular economic action plan can only guarantee true economic progress linked with environmental sustainability.

China is making an effort to increase its recycling capacity to 30 percent by 2030 by investing USD 6.3 billion. With the current investments, it has been projected that China will collect revenues totaling USD 167 billion from the waste recycling market by 2025 alone.

Recovery Via WtE Projects
Over the past couple of decades, there has been a stark increase in the energy demand. Global technological advancement, increased industrial activity, and population growth have been the key factors driving energy demand. However, in the next 15 years, from 2020 onwards, around 10000 megawatts (MW) of thermal (fossil fuel-based) generation capacity of Pakistan will retire. The state cannot enter into take-or-pay power purchase agreements where it would have to pay double the charges for energy production and capacity. Moreover, with imported coal and gas becoming consumer incompatible due to a price surge, the state would have to integrate WtE projects into the existing grid gradually. 
Pakistan's current energy mix is cost-ineffective and undiversified. Its heavy dependence on imported gas and oil has resulted in the energy industry alone accounting for over USD 12.58 billion in debt. With waste materials mounting, the government can use solid waste to erect a sustainable circular economic model. WtE plants are required to transform solid waste into electricity.

Additionally, WtE projects offer a modern and safe method of disposing waste that recycles metals and plastics, produces clean electricity, and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. WtE is a widely-practiced approach to reduce the effects of climate change. These facilities provide consistent baseload electricity, powering homes, businesses, and public buildings without hindrance. Pakistan has also implemented several initiatives to build waste-to-energy facilities across the nation. The first WtE plant was built in Lahore with a 40 MW generation and a 2000 tonnes solid waste reduction capacity. The project has opened new avenues to address urgent waste disposal issues, leading to healthier lives and cleaner cities. 
Mitigation of Climate Crisis
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised its climate funding for developing nations from 2019 to 2030 to USD 100 billion in response to the worsening climate. In response, Pakistan has also revised its pledges to combat climate change and has acknowledged the gravity of the crisis. A major area of concern is the waste industry, which in 2018 emitted 22 metric tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions and is predicted to rise. Pakistan requires a waste system management plan supporting its higher emissions reduction goals to address this. Pakistan may cut its emissions by 50 percent by 2030 by switching to a low-carbon approach and a more sustainable development trajectory. This would align with Pakistan's United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) climate promise of emission reduction by 50 percent by 2030.
By utilizing waste to generate electricity, not only would the issue of open dumping be resolved, but the emissions would also be brought under control. Pakistan, being a climate-vulnerable country, can help mitigate both global warming and climate change.
Fulfillment of Living Indus Initiative
According to the UNEP, Pakistan produces an estimated 3.3 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. Food scraps and plastic bottles account for about 250 million tonnes of this waste. Moreover, Pakistan has the highest percentage of mismanaged plastic waste in South Asia. As a result, a vast portion of plastic wastelands in dumping grounds, landfills, and waterways, endangering human health and the environment.
By implementing WtE projects and establishing a well-structured waste recycling industry, Pakistan would be able to fulfil its plan of 'Zero Plastic Waste Cities Along the Indus'. This plan is part of a broader policy called the 'Living Indus Initiative’, which aims to address the mounting plastic pollution in Pakistan’s waterbodies. 

Pakistan's current energy mix is cost-ineffective and undiversified. Its heavy dependence on imported gas and oil has resulted in the energy industry alone accounting for over USD 12.58 billion in debt. 

Pakistan needs to modernize its waste management infrastructure to profit from the circular economic model. From closing open dumping sites to incentivizing waste collection jobs, Pakistan is still far from achieving an effective and sustainable circular economy. The following measures can be undertaken to advance the outdated solid waste management system of Pakistan:
▪According to the Economic Research Institute (ERI), the average salary of a garbage collector in Pakistan is PKR 307 per hour, which is lower than the average hourly wage in Pakistan. The government needs to incentivize jobs so that the garbage collection fleet, which includes trucks, trolleys, and human resources, will suffice as the municipality demands.
▪ Most Pakistani cities have turned to open dumping due to the near-complete lack of sanitary landfill sites. A short-term strategy is required to manage and adequately close these sites. This plan must include fencing off the sites, compacting trash in layers, and covering them with soil. Furthermore, arrangements must be made to collect and process landfill gas to reuse the available resources. The local government must be onboard to ensure a holistic approach to closing open dumpsites.
▪ While the EPR ensures the shifting of responsibility to producers and manufacturers, citizens and consumers must also be educated on proper waste disposal techniques. If solid waste is segregated at the household level into organic and inorganic waste, plastics, and paper will not make their way into the waterways or open dumping grounds. 
▪ Currently, littering and improper waste disposal remains a common practice in Pakistan. By holding awareness workshops and seminars in schools, universities, and workplaces, these practices can be nipped in the bud before they contribute to the growing heaps of solid waste on the streets and in open dumps. This would further lessen the burden on MSW authorities and aid in the quicker achievement of Zero Plastic Waste Cities Along the Indus. 
▪ Pakistan could also build on the research and experiences of other nations, such as Australia. Their current National Plastics Plan (2021) focuses on government-industry collaboration to phase out plastics. It also sets recycling targets for 2025, which entails that all plastics be recyclable, reusable, or biodegradable by 2025. Furthermore, their MSW system involves their individual citizenry in the process of reaching national plastic reduction targets via awareness campaigns and information dissemination.
Pakistan must adopt a gradual and holistic approach to reforming its municipal solid waste sector. Being a member of the Global South does not mean that it is plagued with administrative and infrastructural problems. Problems are there but only through collaboration between the government, the industrialists, and the citizenry can the circular economic action plan be effective.

The writer holds an MPhil degree in International Relations from National Defense University, Islamabad. She writes for South Asian Voices, CISS Insight and The Diplomatic Insight.
E-mail: [email protected]

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