Solid Waste Generation, Composition and Potentiality of Waste to

Resource Recovery in Narayanganj City Corporation

Md. Jisan Ahmed1

Assistant Chief Urban Planner, Acumen Architects and Planners Ltd.

Email: [email protected]
M A Taher2
Chief Urban Planner and Managing Director, Acumen Architects and Planners Ltd.
Email: [email protected]

Abstract
Narayanganj city corporation is one of the most first growing city in Bangladesh. Narayanganj
municipality was turned into City Corporation in 2011 with 27 wards in Narayanganj Sadar,
Siddhirganj and Kadamrasul having 9 wards in each area. It is also one of the most industrial
hub of Bangladesh. Along with the first development growth, Narayanganj City Corporation
(NCC) is also producing more solid waste with high per-capita waste generation. NCC is now
producing more garbage than ever before because of high population growth, commercial
activities, industrial development as well as rapid urbanization. The huge amount of generated
solid waste in NCC is now creating air pollution, soil pollution, water pollution, blockage in
drainage system and unhealthy city living environment. The purpose of this study is to find out
the amount of solid waste production per day in NCC with exploring the waste composition
and potentiality to resource recovery form the produced solid waste. This study has explored
that NCC is producing about 922-ton solid waste per day from the households, commercial
activities and industrial sector where the existing waste collection rate by NCC authority is
only about 50% of total generated waste. This study has also explored that about 75% of daily-
produced solid waste is perishable with comparatively high moisture content where 18 % and
7% are non-perishable and hazardous. It is also explored that there is no resource recovery
plant from solid waste in NCC. On the other hand, this study has explored that the calorific
value of the produced solid waste is in favor of resource recovery like waste to electricity. The
generated solid waste composition is also in favor of waste to biogas and waste to compost
fertilizer production. This study has advocated that initiatives need to develop a solid waste
management plant in NCC for resource recovery from solid waste. This study can enlight the
solid waste management department of NCC as well as other waste departments of other
cities/municipalities in Bangladesh to have a brief about solid waste production rate,
composition and potentiality to resource recovery from solid waste in the urban areas of
Bangladesh
Key Words: Solid Waste, Waste Composition, Resource Recovery from Solid Waste

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Introduction
Narayanganj is popularly known as an industrial city with high population growth rate. BBS
stated that total population of NCC is about 0.8 million in 2011 (BBS, 2011) and author
projection has found it more than 1.1 million in 2021 (Based on BBS data 2011). On the other
hand, NCC authority assumed that more than 1.4 million people are living permanently in the
whole city corporation areas. In addition, the number of floating people in NCC is also high
because of industrial development. According to the Zilla Series Data of BBS, the urban
population growth of Dhaka was estimated as 4.05 % per year, where it is 3.05% for
Narayanganj City Corporation (BBS, 2011). Solid waste generation is the universal concerned
matter for each society and solid waste management is also a primitive activity. Bangladesh is
not exceptional and has had a primitive waste management system like unplanned open
dumping and burning, dumping solid wastes into water bodies and alongside road. It is evident
that about 8000 tons of solid waste is producing per day from the main six cities (Dhaka,
Rajshahi, Chittagong, Barisal, Khulna, and Sylhet) of Bangladesh (Abedin & Jahiruddin,
2015). It is also evident that the waste composition also varies depending on several issues.
The main components that have contribution in waste composition are economic activities,
human life styles, seasonal variation, climate change, recycling access, and waste management
plant (Abedin & M. Jahiruddin, 2015). Now a days, solid waste is appraised as resources where
Bangladesh needs to take initiatives for waste to resource recovery (Ashikuzzaman &
Howlader, 2019). A huge amount of solid waste is produced in NCC but woefully, the existing
solid waste management system is being going worse because of limited capacities in managing
the growing rate of produced solid waste. However, development in education, health and
standard of life style are visible in urban area as well as the urban residents are also going with
development challenges like appropriate solid waste management (Waste Concern, 2014). 40-
60% of produced solid waste is not appropriately stored, collected, transported and disposed in
the selected location for final disposal because of improper nomination of technical and
technological approaches (Alamgir & Ahsan, 2007). Eventually, this solid waste is creating
many inescapable issues in Narayanganj City Corporation. In addition, the existing solid waste
management system of NCC is threat to lives, health and environment. This study has focused
on exploring waste generation rate, waste composition and potentiality of resource recovery
from solid waste in Narayanganj City Corporation.
Methodology
This study is actually based on primary data, which were collected by the authors from the 27
wards of Narayanganj City Corporation in 2019-2020. Acumen Architects and Planners Ltd
has conducted a project named as “Solid Waste Collection and disposal Management in
Narayanganj City Corporation in 2019-2020. The authors have completed the above mentioned
project in August 2020. The authors have collected the relevant waste data through household
survey using Kobo ToolBox, polythene bag distribution and collection survey and
questionnaire survey in commercial and industrial sectors. Authors had also completed several
KIIs and FGDs to acquire more knowledge about solid waste generation, composition and
potentiality of waste to resource recovery in NCC. Solid waste samples were collected from
the Alamin Nogor Landfill site for lab tests from the BRTC Department of Bangladesh
University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). The following sections show the brief of
all conducted surveys, KIIs, FGDs and Lab Tests.

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 Figure1: Picture of authors field works, Source: author

A. Structured questionnaire survey for measuring the households level waste generation
A structured questionnaire had been prepared to collect relevant waste data at household level
in 27 wards of NCC. The questionnaires had mainly covered the quantity and composition of
produced solid waste at household level in NCC with family information, source of waste
generation, wastes category, storage system of waste at source, waste collection process and
access to reuse or recycle. Another structured questionnaire had been prepared to collect
relevant waste data from commercial and industrial sectors in Narayanganj city Corporation.
B. Polythene bag distribution and collection survey
The authors had arranged a new type of survey to explore the actual amount and composition
of produced solid waste in Narayanganj City Corporation. 100 polythene bags were distributed
among the high-income group (20), middle-income group (50), and low-income group (30) in
NCC. It was continued for three consecutive days (off day and working days) in the same wards
and households. Three bags with different color were distributed for each family where 1st one
was for perishable waste (like kitchen waste, food waste etc.) and 2nd one was for nonperishable
waste (like plastic, rubber, leather, paper etc.) and 3rd one for hazardous solid waste. All bags
were distributed among the different income group households at morning in the selected wards
and households of NCC and collected the distributed bags in the next day morning and it was
continued for three consecutive days. After collecting the distributed polythene bags with
waste, it was transported to Rail Gate STS for further analysis. The findings of this survey has
helped to calculate the per capita waste generation as well as total amount of daily solid waste
production from the households of NCC.
C. Key Informant Interviews (KIIs)
The authors had completed several key informant interviews with superintending engineer of
NCC, medical officer of NCC, ward councilors and conservancy officers of NCC. During KIIs,
the key focuses were mainly on waste generation rate and waste category in NCC as well as
existing solid waste collection and disposal process, waste generators and waste collectors,
willingness to resource recovery from the generated solid waste in NCC.
D. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)
The authors had also completed several focus group discussions (FGDs) with households,
waste collector, community based organization (CBO), owners of warehouse of broken
materials, recycle industry (Megha), slum people and Bazar Malik Somity/Kacha Bazar
Somity. During FGDs the focuses were mainly on waste generation, quantity, composition,
storage and final disposal of generated solid waste in NCC.

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E. Solid waste sample collection and transport to BUET for lab test
Solid waste samples were collected from the Alamin Nogor Landfill site and transported those
samples to BRTC Department (Bureau of Research, Testing and Consultation Department) of
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) for calorific value test and
moisture content test to find out the potentiality of waste to resource recovery.
Result and Discussion
The study has been explored that the daily 922-ton solid waste is generated in 2020 from
different sources such as households, commercial and industrial sectors and warehouses of
broken material. The projection shows that total amount of daily solid waste generation from
household level in NCC will be about 1480-ton in 2040. On the other hand, it is found that the
per capita waste generation rate in NCC is 463 gm, which is also comparatively high. More
than half of the total amount of produced solid waste in NCC comes from the households where
rest amount comes from commercial activities, industrial waste and waste from the warehouses
of broken materials. About 60% of generated solid waste in Narayanganj City Corporation is
perishable where more than 30% is non-perishable. 70% of non-perishable solid waste is
recyclable. The following tables show the details of solid waste generation and waste
composition of generated solid waste in NCC from different sources.

Table 1: Details of total and per capita solid waste generation per day in NCC
Household income group Average Average solid waste Per Capita solid
household generation per waste generation
size person in gm unit in gm unit
High Income Group 5.44 601.272 462.534 gm
0.463 kg
Middle Income Group 4.964 421.224
Low Income Group 4.416 365.206
Total Population in Narayanganj 1063576 (Based on BBS, 2011 data: Projected with
City Corporation in 2020 exponential growth methods)
Total solid waste generation in 491975.514 kg or 491.975 tons
NCC from the households in
2020.

Table 2: Details of total amount of solid waste generation per day and their composition in
Narayanganj City Corporation
Source of solid Amount Perishable/fermentable Non-perishable solid
waste generation in (tons/day) solid waste (tons/day) waste(tons/day)
NCC Fermentable Recyclable Non-recyclables
or hazardous
Household 492 366.84 89.99 35.18
(74.56 %) (18.29 %) (7.15 %)
Commercial and 340 170 136 34
Industrial (50 %) (40%) (10 %)
Warehouse of 90 0 63 27 tons/day
Broken Material (0 %) (70 %) (30%)
Total 922 536.84 288.99 96.18

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Key Findings from the Lab Tests:
The authors had collected solid waste sample from Alamin Nogor landfill site for lab test. The
below figure shows the results from lab test.

Figure 2: Lab Test report from BRTC department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology

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A. Results of Moisture Content Test
Moisture content of any object means how much water is in the object. In addition, moisture
content can have impact on the physical properties of a solid waste including weight, density,
viscosity, conductivity and others. The perishable waste contains more moisture compare to
non-perishable waste. The moisture content of food/kitchen waste of NCC is 69.89% where
paper/rag, leather/rubber and plastic/polythene have 42.77%, 15.49 % and 10.25%. Perishable
solid wastes have comparatively high moisture content. The moisture content of plastic,
polythene, leather and rubber are comparatively low in NCC. The following table shows the
details of moisture content of different types of solid waste generated in Narayanganj city
Corporation.

Table 3: Waste categories and moisture content of each waste category in Narayanganj City
Corporation
Test Unit Food/Kitchen Plastic/Polythene Leather/Rubber Paper/Rag Methods
Item Waste
Moisture w/w% 69.89 10.25 15.49 42.77 ASTM
Content D 3302

B. Results of Calorific Value Test

The calorific value defines the amount of heat energy generated from any sample object after
the complete combustion of specified object at constant pressure and in normal conditions. The
calorific value of collected waste samples varied because of waste types, chemical and physical
composition. The calorific value of perishable waste is comparatively low compare to non-
perishable solid waste in Narayanganj city Corporation. The calorific value of generated
perishable solid wastes has found 2986 kcal/kg in Narayanganj City Corporation where it is
comparatively high for non-perishable solid waste. The following table shows the details of
calorific values of different types of solid waste generated in Narayanganj City Corporation.
Table 4: Waste categories and calorific value of each waste category in Narayanganj City Corporation
Test Unit Food/Kitchen Plastic/Polythene Leather/Rubber Paper/Rag Methods
Item Waste
Calorific Kcal/Kg 2986 8649 5245 3607 ASTM
Value D 2015

Potentiality of Waste to Resource Recovery in Narayanganj City Corporation:

Solid waste can be transformed into compost fertilizer, biogas, electricity etc.
A. Compatibility of waste to biogas and compost fertilizer production in Narayanganj
City Corporation
Narayanganj City Corporation is now producing about 922-ton solid waste per day where more
than 58% (about 537 ton) of generated solid waste is perishable waste. Perishable wastes have
the high potentiality to produce Biogas and Compost Fertilizer. The moisture content of the
generated perishable waste in Narayanganj City Corporation is also high. High moisture
content is another parameter of high potentiality to Biogas and Compost Fertilizer production.
The study has found that the existing waste compositions of NCC have high potentiality to
produce Biogas and Compost Fertilizer from the generated solid waste in NCC.

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B. Potentiality of Waste to Electricity Production in Narayanganj City Corporation
Narayanganj City Corporation can generate electricity by burning the generated solid waste.
NCC needs a modern and well-equipped solid waste management plant to produce electricity
from waste. The most common technology for waste to energy conversion is incineration. The
generated solid waste in NCC has a mixture of energy-rich materials such as paper, plastics,
yard waste, polythene, electronic waste, kitchen waste etc. The typical range of net electrical
energy that can be produced is about 500 to 600 KWH (Kilo Watt Hour) per ton of waste
incinerated. The calorific value of the generated solid waste in Narayanganj City Corporation
is high enough to produce electricity. Non-perishable wastes (plastic, polythene, paper, rubber,
leather, cloth etc.) can be the potential raw material for waste to electricity production in
Narayanganj City Corporation. Perishable waste also can be use as raw material for waste to
electricity production but its compatibility is not too high. NCC is now preparing a solid waste
management plant in Jalkuri, Siddirganj to convert the generated solid waste into electric
energy. The disadvantages of waste-to-energy are numerous and have become more apparent
in recent years. They include the pollution and particulates in air. On the other hand, waste to
energy achieves a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through three separate mechanisms:
(1) By generating electrical power or steam, waste to energy avoids carbon dioxide (CO 2)
emissions from fossil fuel-based electrical generation,
2) The waste-to energy combustion process effectively avoids all potential methane emissions
from landfills thereby avoiding any potential release of methane in the future and
3) The recovery of ferrous and nonferrous metals from solid waste by waste-to-energy is more
energy efficient than production from raw materials.
Benefits of Turning Waste into Energy:
 Reduces landfill waste: Waste to energy conversion can significantly reduce the
amount of waste entering into landfills, which can significantly reduce the greenhouse
gas emission.
 Contribution of significant amount of Energy: Several studies and researches show
that one ton of waste can yield 550 to 700 KWH energy, which is enough to power a
person’s home for a month.
 Recycling the excess waste: The metals that remnants after full combustion of solid
waste can be recycled steel and aluminum further shorten the amount of unusable waste.
 Sustainable activities: The waste to energy conversion process itself is green, engage
the modern environment friendly pollution control equipment to abolish and strainer
emissions, and stop their release into the environment.
Recommendations on Solid Waste Management in Narayanganj City Corporation
The following recommendations are suggested after completing the study:
 Segregation of wastes at source especially at household level as well as commercial and
industrial level.
 Regular collection of wastes by using separate fuel-efficient vehicles according to the
nature of the wastes.
 Adequate training to all the levels of staff engaged in solid waste management to handle
respective functional aspects like collection, generation, storage, segregation of waste,
etc. and medical check-ups for municipal workers and rag pickers should be mandatory
at regular interval.
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  Composting should be done with the help of dedicated technical experts.
 Should encourage biogas production to produce electricity, which will be used to run
the mechanical and electrical equipment of Solid Waste Management Plant of Jalkuri,
NCC.
 Should encourage waste to electricity production separately in NCC
 Legal Aspect should be followed in opening a landfill. In connection with the existing
landfill site, NCC should comply with Environment Conservation Act and Rules and
Preservation Act.

Conclusion
Rapid urbanization and industrialization accompanied with population growth are the major
factors for increasing rate of solid waste generation in Narayanganj City Corporation. The
existing solid waste management system is not at that level what NCC authorities and modern
cities demand. Efforts need to be given to improve the existing system of collection,
transportation, recycling, incineration and land filling. Potentiality of waste to compost
fertilizer and biogas can be the best initiatives to manage the generated solid waste in
Narayanganj City Corporation. On the other hand, waste to electricity production from solid
waste also can make Narayanganj City Corporation more resilient and sustainable.

Acknowledgement
The authors would like to express sincere gratitude and heartily appreciation to the Honorable
Mayor, Chief Engineer, Superintending Engineer, Chief Conservancy Officer, Chief Medical
Officer, Urban Planner, Assistant Engineers, Ward Councilors, Conservancy Officers of
Narayanganj City Corporation for their supporting hands, constant guidance, thoughtful
comments, precious suggestions and encouragement throughout the study.

References
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Alamgir, M. and Ahsan, A. (2007). Municipal solid waste and recovery potential: Bangladesh
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Ashikuzzaman, M., & Howlade, M. (2019). Sustainable Solid Waste management in
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from file:///E:/Acumen/Jisan/SWM%20Master%20Plan/New%20folder/Sustainable-
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