Smart and Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Transfer System – A comparison of Rawalpindi, Lahore and Gujranwala city

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.