PIDE RASTA application for research proposals

1. Comprehensive Baseline Assessment and
Sustainable Pathways for Solid Waste
Management: Integrating Perspectives,
Practices, and Environmental Impacts
(Application ID# 06-092)
Presented by:
Mr. Shoaib Muhammad (PI)
Dr. Taimur Mazhar Sheikh (Co-PI)
Dr. Musharib Khan (Co-PI)
09/03/2024

2. RESEARCH IDEA/ARGUMENT

3. RESEARCH CONTEXT - Global
2.3 billion
tonnes
Municipal Solid
Waste (MSW)
globally
produced;
expected to
reach 3.8
billion tonnes
by 2050.
Currently, 38%
(810 million
tonnes)
uncontrolled
i.e., open
dumped/open
burnt;
projected to
reach 1.6bn
tonnes.
Direct Cost of
waste
management
is $252 billion
but with the
hidden costs
(health,
climate
change) the
cost is $361
billion.
If the current
practices
continues
global annual
cost may reach
$640.3 bn.
(UNEP, 2024)

4. RESEARCH CONTEXT - Pakistan
48.5 million
tons/year MSW
generated
2.4% annual
growth in
generation rate
Collection rate less
than 50% in major
metropolitan cities
No Sanitary Landfill
Overemphasis on
manual sweeping
and waste
collection;
treatment options
neglected
(https://www.dawn.com/news/1505436)
(Iqbal, 2021; Nadeem et al., 2022; Michel Devadoss et al., 2021)

5. PROBLEM STATEMENT
The exponential growth of solid waste coupled with the
uncontrolled mechanism of handling the waste is negatively
affecting the environment, public health, and economy.
Moreover, lack of comprehensive studies that considers the
three sustainability pillars i.e., Social, Environmental, and
Economical poses risk to the achievement of holistic
sustainability.
Additionally, evidence-based, site-specific information on
sustainability aspects is crucial for the successful planning and
implementation of an integrated solid waste management
program.

6. SCOPE OF RESEARCH

7. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
1. Conduct in-depth observational field visits to assess and document the existing practices of solid waste
management.
2. Engage with solid waste management personnel through unstructured interviews to gain insights into their
perspectives on the state of waste management.
3. To conduct Waste Analysis and Characterization Study (WACS) during Winter and Summer seasons to determine
the composition of solid waste.
4. Shortlist waste treatment options based on the results of WACS and the environmental experts.
5. Conduct an environmental Life Cycle Assessment of the shortlisted treatments options to evaluate the
comparative environmental impacts.
6. Investigate the role of the informal sector in the solid waste management through the comparison of waste
composition at the dumpsite & household level and through unstructured interviews with the scavengers to
get information about their activities and preferences.
7. Conduct a structured Knowledge Attitude Practices (KAP) survey of the residents to understand the level of
awareness, willingness to pay for services, and behaviours related to solid waste management.
8. Conduct a Cost Benefit Analysis of the existing state of solid waste management to evaluate the economic
sustainability of the system.

8. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What is the baseline situation of the solid waste management sector in major urban cities of Pakistan?
2. What is the role and significance of Informal sector in the solid waste management sector of Pakistan?
3. How to integrate the informal sector into solid waste management sector?
4. What are the suitable waste treatment options within the context of Pakistan?
5. Which shortlisted treatment option has a comparative lesser impact on the environment?
6. What is the awareness level and behaviours/practices of the residents with reference to solid waste
management?
7. Are the users willing to pay for the service provided to them by the municipality?
8. What is the economic potential of the recyclables considering market demand?
9. Can the costs of current practices, i.e., manual sweeping and collection, be met through the user fees and

9. SIGNIFICANCE
The research approach adopted in this research is based
on the principle of circular economy contrary to the linear
approach currently being followed thus curbing the
negative impacts posed by the exponential solid waste
generation.
The research findings will help the stakeholders of the
solid management sector such as policy makers,
municipality officials, NGOs, to make well informed
decisions.
Data driven formulation of policies based on the principle

10. METHODOLOGY

11. METHODOLOGY

12. RESPONSE TO REVIEWER’s
OBSERVATION

13. SELECTION OF LOCATION
• Wah Cantt is selected as the location for WACS due to its (relatively)
well-documented and organized solid waste collection.
• This documentation allows for a comprehensive study with
reasonable accuracy within the proposed timeframe.
• Life Cycle Assessment and Cost Benefit Analysis results will be easier
to interpret for relevant stakeholders, also due to the documented
current solid waste management practices in Wah Cantt.
• Wah Cantt allows for practical, logistical case study with similar
socio-economic context for major urban cities in Pakistan.

14. SELECTION OF LOCATION
• Most prior research on solid waste management in Pakistan has trade-off
between qualitative assessments or downscaling or region for a waste audit.
Sr.
No
Study Title Aspect Covered Study Area
1. An assessment of the current municipal solid waste
management system in Lahore, Pakistan
A qualitative assessment of the physical
features and governance of the system
Lahore
2. Status, characterization, and potential utilization of
municipal solid waste as renewable energy source: Lahore
case study in Pakistan
Qualitative assessment of the status as well
as the waste audit and energy potential
determination
Lahore
3. Municipal solid waste generation and its compositional
assessment for efficient and sustainable infrastructure
planning in an intermediate city of Pakistan
Waste Audit Sahiwal
4. Best Practices of Solid Waste Management at Institute of
Business Management, Karachi, Pakistan
Waste Audit, Questionnaire Survey Karachi (University
i.e., IoBM)
5. Influence of Income Level and Seasons on Quantity and
Composition of Municipal Solid Waste: A Case Study of the
Capital City of Pakistan
Waste Audit Islamabad
6. Environmental impacts of improper solid waste
management in developing countries: a case study of
Qualitative study consisting of observatory
analysis
Rawalpindi

15. REVIEWER #1
• Sampling methods that would be used to select the sample of
sanitary workers/officials, scavengers and residents for the
interviews and survey?
Stratified Sampling Method
• The economic impact and social impact of the treatment options, in
addition to the environmental impact, should also be included in the
scope of the study.
The Social Impact through Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) and
Economic Impact through Life Cycle Costing (LCC) can be included
in the scope however, that would result in extension of the study
duration.

16. BIBLIOGRAPHY
• UNEP. (2024). Beyond an age of waste Turning rubbish into a resource.
• Iqbal, J. (2021). Journal of Sustainability Perspectives Best Practices of Solid Waste Management at Institute of
Business Management, Karachi, Pakistan. Journal of Sustainability Perspectives: Special Issue, 2021.
• Misganaw, A. (2023). Assessment of potential environmental impacts and sustainable management of
municipal solid waste using the DPSIRO framework: a case study of Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. Environmental
Monitoring and Assessment, 195(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-10929-z
• Michel Devadoss, P. S., Pariatamby, A., Bhatti, M. S., Chenayah, S., & Shahul Hamid, F. (2021). Strategies for
reducing greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste management in Pakistan. Waste Management
and Research, 39(7), 914–927. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X20983927
• Nadeem, K., Shahzad, S., Hassan, A., Usman Younus, M., Asad Ali Gillani, S., & Farhan, K. (2022). Municipal solid
waste generation and its compositional assessment for efficient and sustainable infrastructure planning in an
intermediate city of Pakistan. Environmental Technology (United Kingdom).
https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2022.2054370

17. BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Azimi, A. N., Dente, S. M. R., & Hashimoto, S. (2020). Social life-cycle assessment of householdwaste
management system in Kabul city. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/SU12083217
• Das, A. K., Chatterjee, U., & Mukherjee, J. (2022). Solid waste management through multi-criteria decision
making: using analytic hierarchy process as an assessment framework for the Hooghly district, West Bengal.
GeoJournal, 87(s4), 911–930. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-022-10668-7
• Rugatiri, J., Abidin, Z., & Ismail, A. (2021). Assessing solid waste management strategy in higher education
institutions of Indonesia: A case study of IPB University. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental
Science, 771(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/771/1/012023
• Fadhullah, W., Kamaruddin, M. A., Ismail, N., Sansuddin, N., & Abdullah, H. (2019). Characterization of landfill
leachates and its impact to groundwater and river water quality: A case study in beris lalang waste dumpsite,
Kelantan. Pertanika Journal of Science and Technology, 27(2), 633–646

18. BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Taswar Abbas, Muhammad Fahad Ullah, Omar Riaz, T. S. (2018). Impact of municipal solid waste on groundwater
quality in Jhang City Punjab, Pakistan. J. Bio. Env. Sci. , 12(1), 134–141
• Weber, L. (2014). Developing Solid Waste Management Plans. Waste Management, 5–18
• Akber, M. Z., Thaheem, M. J., & Arshad, H. (2017). Life cycle sustainability assessment of electricity generation in
Pakistan: Policy regime for a sustainable energy mix. Energy Policy, 111(September), 111–126.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2017.09.022
• Nubi, O., Morse, S., & Murphy, R. J. (2022). Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Electricity Generation from Municipal
Solid Waste in Nigeria: A Prospective Study. Energies, 15(23). https://doi.org/10.3390/en15239173
• Ramos, A., Berzosa, J., Espí, J., Clarens, F., & Rouboa, A. (2020). Life cycle costing for plasma gasification of municipal
solid waste: A socio-economic approach. Energy Conversion and Management, 209(October 2019), 112508.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2020.112508
• Mulya, K. S., Zhou, J., Phuang, Z. X., Laner, D., & Woon, K. S. (2022). A systematic review of life cycle assessment of solid
waste management: Methodological trends and prospects. Science of the Total Environment, 831(March), 154903.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154903

19. END.
Thank you.