Dhaka, Sept 21 (V7N) – State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam today highlighted the need for turning waste into resources and maximizing the use of modern technologies for waste management.
"The use of modern and sustainable technologies must be increased to manage the growing volume of waste in cities, while effective initiatives should be taken to turn waste into resources rather than treating it as a burden," he said.
He made the remarks at a meeting with a delegation of China-based Zhejiang Weiming Environmental Protection Co. Ltd. held at the LGRD conference room at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
The meeting discussed the technical concept, potential investment model and implementation roadmap of a project to generate and operate 45 megawatts of electricity from waste of Dhaka South City Corporation.
"Electricity generation from waste is an important and promising initiative. Planned waste management and electricity generation would reduce pressure on urban waste management while creating new energy-generation opportunities," the state minister said.
He said proper waste management should be ensured alongside utilizing opportunities for environmental protection and energy generation through electricity production from waste. He noted that rapid urbanization and population growth are generating huge amounts of waste in the capital every day. "If not properly managed, it may adversely affect the environment and public health. Therefore, modern technologies should be optimally used in waste collection, transportation, processing and recycling," he said.
Stressing environmental preservation, he said, "Before undertaking any waste-to-energy project, environmental impact, technological effectiveness, public health implications and long-term operational system must be properly assessed." He also emphasized ensuring long-term financial sustainability of the city corporation.
Zhejiang Weiming Environmental Protection Co. Ltd. Environmental Protection Group Chairman Cheng Wuliang briefed the meeting on the company's waste-management and environmental-protection technologies and presented potential technical and investment cooperation in the project.
Assistant to the chairman Wu Jian and Investment Department Manager Huang Weifeng of Zhejiang Weiming Environmental Protection Co. Ltd. were also present.
Local Government Division Secretary Md Shahidul Hasan and senior officials from the ministry and Dhaka South City Corporation attended the meeting, according to a press release from the ministry.
Dhaka generates approximately 6,500 tonnes of waste daily, with the majority being organic waste, and the city corporations have been exploring waste-to-energy solutions to address both waste management and energy challenges. The government has been pursuing public-private partnerships (PPP) to develop waste-to-energy projects, which could help reduce the pressure on landfills and contribute to renewable energy generation. The initiative aligns with the government's broader goals of sustainable urban development and environmental protection.
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