What is it about?
This study examines how municipal solid waste is managed in Khulna, a major city in Bangladesh, from collection to disposal, assessing its environmental impact throughout its life cycle. It explores various waste management methods, including open dumping, sanitary landfills, and open burning, to identify the most sustainable practices for reducing pollution and improving the city's waste systems. The study utilizes openLCA software, a specialized tool for life cycle assessments, to model different stages of waste management and evaluate their impacts on nature. This approach helps pinpoint areas for improvement, aiming to reduce emissions like greenhouse gases and promote more sustainable waste management practices.
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Why is it important?
What makes this study unique and timely is its focus on the environmental and public health implications of current waste management practices in Khulna. By highlighting these impacts, the research provides actionable insights that can help policymakers and urban planners adopt more sustainable waste management solutions. With climate change and pollution being pressing global concerns, the study offers valuable, timely recommendations for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants, contributing to broader efforts in environmental protection and sustainability.
Perspectives
Writing this article has been a pivotal moment in my research journey, as it brings together my passion for environmental sustainability with the pressing challenges faced by cities like Khulna. Growing up in Bangladesh, I’ve witnessed firsthand the detrimental effects of inefficient waste management on both public health and the environment. This study gave me the opportunity to apply advanced tools like openLCA to analyze these real-world issues comprehensively. I believe this research has the potential to ignite crucial conversations about how cities in developing countries can adopt more sustainable waste management practices—a cause that is personally close to my heart.
Pragga Paromita Paul
Khulna University of Engineering and Technology
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Life cycle assessment of municipal solid waste management in Khulna city of Bangladesh, January 2025, American Institute of Physics,
DOI: 10.1063/5.0247428.
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