Sylhet sets benchmark in sustainable waste management with country's first Material Recovery Facility

Amid Bangladesh's ongoing struggle with urban waste management, Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) has made a significant progress by establishing the country's first state-of-the-art Material Recovery Facility (MRF).

This initiative, developed in collaboration with LafargeHolcim Bangladesh, aims to free the city from plastic and polythene waste.

Constructed at a cost of Tk15.30 crore, the facility is located at the Lalmatia Dumping Ground and represents a pioneering approach to sustainable waste management in Bangladesh.

Tackling a Growing Waste Crisis

SCC's conservancy workers collect around 375 tonnes of waste daily, all of which is disposed of at Lalmatia.

Over the years, the eight-acre landfill has accumulated an estimated 800,000 tonnes of waste, posing significant environmental risks.

Mohammad Ekleem Abdeen, Chief Waste Management Officer at SCC, acknowledged the failure of previous initiatives to deliver effective solutions.

But he expressed confidence that the new MRF would revolutionise waste disposal in the city.

A Sustainable Waste Management Model

LafargeHolcim's GeoCycle programme plays a crucial role in waste management, utilising its Chhatak cement plant—the only facility in the country capable of producing clinker from imported alternative materials.

Latifur Rahman, Senior Manager of GeoCycle Bangladesh, explained that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between SCC and LafargeHolcim in September 2022 to introduce this sustainable system. Following this agreement, construction of the MRF commenced at Lalmatia, and operations officially began in May 2024.

Currently, over 60 tonnes of waste are transported daily from Lalmatia to the Chhatak cement plant, where it is processed sustainably. There are plans to increase this volume in the coming years.

Eliminating Non-Degradable Waste

The MRF separates non-degradable waste, such as plastic and polythene, which is then processed at the cement plant.

Latifur Rahman said that the waste is burned at temperatures of approximately 1,500°C, ensuring complete co-processing without any residual environmental pollution.

It is estimated that clearing the existing waste at Lalmatia could take seven to eight years, with GeoCycle's annual waste processing capacity currently standing at 100,000 tonnes. Plans are in place to expand this capacity further.

A Model for the Nation

Nur Azizur Rahman, Chief Engineer at SCC, praised LafargeHolcim's GeoCycle technology, highlighting its major contribution to SCC's vision of a greener, waste-free city.

LafargeHolcim Bangladesh's CEO Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhury confirmed that GeoCycle remains the only waste management method approved by the Department of Environment.

The company currently provides waste management services to various public and private organisations nationwide and hopes to support other city corporations in implementing similar initiatives.

A delegation from Narayanganj City Corporation recently visited the MRF and Chhatak cement plant to study the waste management technology and explore opportunities for future collaboration.

Call for National Adoption

Former SCC Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury, who played a key role in establishing the MRF, remarked that previous efforts had failed to yield results, whereas this approach had proven practical and effective.

He urged the government to ensure the facility's continued operation and suggested that SCC's initiative could serve as a model for other city corporations across Bangladesh.

Urgent Need for Sustainable Solutions

According to a study by the Asia-Europe Foundation, 55% of waste in Bangladesh is dumped in the open, with much of it either left uncollected or burned—contributing to severe environmental hazards. This waste blocks urban drainage systems, leading to frequent flooding even after minor rainfall.

Experts stress the need to raise awareness and promote sustainable waste management practices to tackle this growing issue. As Bangladesh's urban population continues to expand, effective waste disposal solutions will be critical to ensuring a cleaner, healthier environment.

Currently, Dhaka ranks among the world's most polluted cities, with poor waste management identified as a major contributing factor, according to a report by UNFPA. Without urgent intervention, the problem will only worsen.

Sylhet's initiative offers a ray of hope. If adopted nationwide, this sustainable waste management model could transform urban waste disposal across Bangladesh, paving the way for a cleaner and more sustainable future.