Literature Review

Introduction

Chittagong city residents have been suffering due to poor garbage and sewerage
management, which is slowly turning the city into an unliveable place. Locals and civil
society members have expressed dissatisfaction at how the Chittagong City Corporation is
managing the waste. Rubbish heaps are seen everywhere, and it is difficult to walk around
the city due to bad odour, said the minister. The city corporation seems to be uncoordinated
in managing the waste, and workers can be seen collecting rubbish around noon and even
during rush hours. Most dustbins are situated at busy intersections and entrances of kitchen
markets like Muradpur Forestry Gate, Reazuddin Bazar, Aturar Depot, Chawk Bazar, Jamal
Khan Intersection, Nasirabad Housing Society entry point, Bahaddarhat and Karnaphuli
Market. Garbage is washed away from the dustbin due to rain and ends up all over the road.
Sometimes, rubbish enters roadside drains and clogs those up leading to waterlogging.
Garbage washed away by rainwater pollutes ponds, canals and rivers, while the underground
water is contaminated through leaching.  According to CCC officials, around 1,350 tonnes of
garbage is disposed of every day by around 50 lakh inhabitants of the city.  The 1,900
conservancy workers of the city corporation manage the garbage, with its 70 mini-trucks
carrying waste from 1,350 dustbins and 94 containers to two landfills.   the corporation
cannot manage the garbage due to "inadequate manpower and equipment and financial
crisis.  We need at least 4,000 conservancy workers and 200 more vehicles for proper
garbage management at present.

Hospitals and diagnostic centres in Chittagong are disposing medical waste in open bins,
posing serious health hazards. A total of 87 hospitals and 180 diagnostic centres are operating
in Chittagong while only one private organisation, Chattagram Seba Sangstha, is working to
dispose the medical waste, according to health department officials. only 130 hospitals and
diagnostic centres out of over 250 in operation have signed agreements with them to
responsibly dispose medical waste. We have the capacity to serve all the hospitals and
diagnostic centres here but many are yet to sign up. Chattagram Seba Sangstha collects

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medical waste in covered vans and takes it to a city corporation assigned area to burn in
incinerators. According to experts, medical waste must be disposed off such that it is not
exposed. When medical waste comes in contact with air, water or earth, it has the potency of
spreading germs and infectious matter, they added. During a recent visit to several hospitals
in Chittagong, The Daily Star found medical 2,500 patients a day generates seven and a half
tonnes of waste a day, including general waste. The hospital is equipped with three clearly
marked, covered bins across the building -- red for sharp objects, yellow for infectious but
non-sharp objects and black bins for waste, including saline sets, syringes, blood transfusion
sets, and surgical remains, all dumped in open dustbins. Outside Jemison Red Crescent
Maternity at Anderkilla, stray dogs and crows were seen scavenging for food from the piles
of blood bags, syringes and cotton swabs, helping to spread the stench and germs. Blood,
body fluids and body secretions which are constituents of bio-medical waste harbour most of
the viruses, bacteria and parasites that cause infection. Pneumonia, diarrhoea, tetanus,
hepatitis B and C and even HIV/AIDS are common diseases spread due to improper waste
management. The 1313-bed hospital that accommodates over general waste. CMCH
Director Brig Gen Jalal Uddin said hospital staff is regularly instructed to use the bins
appropriately. CMCH Director said hospital staff is regularly instructed to use the bins
appropriately. However, it can be seen that they falter. Patient attendees are often
uneducated and use all the bins for general waste. The hospital pays Chattagram Seba
Sangstha Tk 80,000 a month to dispose the waste in an environmentally-responsible way.
Chattagram Seba Sangstha collects the medical waste from the assigned bins at all their
partner hospitals once a day. Around 100 hospitals and diagnostic centres have applied and
gotten the clearance.But it is not possible for one private entity to cover all the hospitals in
Chittagong; more organisations should come up in this regard.

Types of Waste
1.Liquid Waste:
Liquid Waste is commonly found both in households as well as industries. This waste
includes dirty water, organic liquids, wash water, waste detergents and rain water. Liquid
waste can be classified into point and non point source waste. All manufactured liquid waste
is classified as point source waste. On the other hand natural liquid is classified as non point
source waste.

2. Solid Rubbish: Solid rubbish can include a variety of items found in household along
with commercial and industrial locations. Solid rubbish is commonly broken down into
following types:

 Plastic Waste: This consists of bags , containers, jars ,bottles and many other products
that can be found in household. Plastic is not biodegradable, but many types of

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 plastic can be recycled. Plastic should not be mix in with regular waste, it should be
sorted and placed in recycling bin.
 Paper/Card Waste: This includes packaging materials, newspapers, cardboards and
other products. Paper can easily be recycled and reused so make sure to place them in
recycling bin.
 Tins and metals: This can be found in various forms throughout our home. Most
metals can be recycled. Consider taking these items to a scrap yard to dispose of this
waste type properly.
 Ceramics and glass: These items can be easily be recycled. Look for special glass
recycling and bottle banks to dispose them correctly. If people still cannot grasp the
concept of recycling, then an incredibly easy and efficient way to dispose solid
rubbish is by hiring a waste removal company. We will removal all of our rubbish and
ensure it is disposed of property.

3. Organic Waste:
Organic waste is another common household. All food waste, garden waste, manure and
rotten meat are classified as organic waste. Over time, organic waste is turned into manure by
microorganisms. However, this doesn’t mean that we can dispose them anywhere. Organic
waste in landfills causes the production of methane, so it must never be simply discarded
with general waste. Instead, look to get a green bin or hire a green skin bin or garden bag for
proper waste disposal.

4. Recyclable Rubbish:
Recyclable Rubbish includes all waste items that can be converted into products that can be
used again. Solid items such as paper, metals, furniture, and organic waste can be recycled.
Instead of throwing these items in with regular waste, which then ends up in landfills, place
them in yellow recycling bin. If we are unsure whether an item is recyclable or not, look at
the packaging or the diagrams on the lid of yellow recycling bin. Most products will explicity
state whether they are recyclable or not.

5. Hazardous Waste:
Hazardous waste is waste that has substantial or potential threats to public health or the
environment. It includes all types of rubbish that are flammable, toxic, corrosive and
reactive. These items can harm as well as the environment and must be disposed of correctly.
Hazardous wastes may be found in different physical states such as gaseous, liquids or solids.
Some wastes are highly toxic to environment including humans, animals and plants.

6. Municipal sources of waste: This includes trash or garbage from households,

schools, offices, market places, restaurants and other public places.

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