Turning waste into resources

For a densely-populated city like Dhaka which reportedly generates over 6,500 tonnes of garbage every day, managing waste is a huge task. The best possible solution to this problem is turning the waste into valuable resources. The government has decided to set up a waste-to-energy plant in Aminbazar on the outskirts of the capital city. However, the 42.5 MW (megawatt) waste-based power plant has not yet come into operation. We should also know that alongside electricity, waste can be converted into fuel oil, plastic, garment materials and paper.
There are several European countries including Norway and Sweden, which are importing as much rubbish as they can in an effort to generate more energy by burning waste in vast incinerators. Following their models, we can not only produce power but also other valuable materials. However, the problem we have in Bangladesh is that we do not have enough entrepreneurs in this sector. While waste is a burden on us, Norway and Sweden buy garbage so that they can use it as a resource. So, we urge our promising entrepreneurs, who are running short of new business ideas, to venture into the world of turning waste into resources by undertaking suitable projects. These initiatives will surely be good both for the environment and the economy.

Suman Md Mizanur Rahman,
Dhaka