Abstract:
Our urban population’s major thing of concern is municipal solid waste (MSW),
exponentially increasing with urbanization itself. EPA’s report estimates that by 2025,
it is estimated to roar up to 4.3 billion urban population producing 1.42 kilogram of
waste per capita everyday which is about 2.2 billion tons annually. In Pakistan, the
existing MSW transfer and management in the major cities is functioning in an orthodox
fashion. Deploying a high-tech MSW Transfer System, efficiency in terms of fuel, time,
resource, schedules, etc. could be greatly enhanced and would assist in the entire
decision making. Potential of SWM will be enhanced to come at par with international
standards. A comparison of Rawalpindi, Lahore and Gujranwala is presented in the
research which explores the existing mechanism, assesses ways to maximize the
efficiency using IT and unravels challenges for the existing authorities and their
willingness for adaptation of a smart system. It is found that there is a huge room for
integration of IT in MSW transfer and improvement in the overall efficiency of the
system. However, it is highly dependent on the willingness of the professionals to learn
and grow their capacities. Interview sessions with organizations revealed that Albayrak
- Lahore and OZPAK Lahore have the least willingness to integrate IT into their existing
system. LWMC and GWMC still have considerable openness towards adapting a smart
and sustainable system; whereas RWMC as well as Albayrak - Rawalpindi depict the
highest willingness to meet the needs of MSW in a sustainable and efficient manner.
