Karachi’s garbage crisis has reached an alarming level, with the city generating more than 14,800 tonnes of solid waste every day, a volume now higher than that of Mumbai, Delhi, and Dhaka, a senior official of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) revealed.
Speaking at a seminar on sustainable urban waste solutions, SSWMB Managing Director Tariq Ali Nizamani said District Central alone produces over 3,000 tonnes of waste daily, making it the highest among Karachi’s seven districts.
He added that 42 per cent of Karachi’s garbage consists of organic waste, which could be converted into compost or biogas if proper segregation systems were in place. Karachi also generates about a quarter of Pakistan’s recyclable plastic waste.
In addition, Mr. Nizamani said the SSWMB’s first biogas plant at Bagh Ibne Qasim would begin operating on December 15. The plant will process up to seven tonnes of livestock waste daily and provide low-cost cooking gas to 70–80 nearby households at a subsidized rate of Rs. 2,000 per month.
In the next phase, the same facility will also produce electricity to address power shortages at the park. Another large biogas plant is planned for Cattle Colony to help prevent untreated cattle waste from polluting the sea.
He added that heavy vehicles that scatter garbage on the roads would be fined up to Rs. 20,000 once the board receives legal approval to impose penalties.
According to Nizamani, the SSWMB has deployed more than 13,000 workers and over 2,300 vehicles for citywide waste collection. He said the department now uses real-time technology to track waste movement from households to landfill sites.
A helpline, call center, and mobile app are also available round the clock for public complaints.
He noted that a World Bank-funded project is underway to build new garbage transfer stations and a fully engineered sanitary landfill for Karachi.
