Introduction Bangladesh's third-largest city, Khulna, faces significant challenges in managing its municipal solid waste. The city’s almost 1 million inhabitants generate 420 to 520 tons of solid waste per day. However, Khulna City Corporation (KCC), which is tasked with handling the city's waste, has been able to collect only about 50–60% of total waste generated daily. Also, waste collection and management initiatives of community-based organizations and non-government organizations serve only 10% of the estimated 300,000 households in the city. A designated landfill operated by KCC, the Rajbandh dumpsite receives 270–300 tons of waste daily, with a considerable amount disposed of improperly due to lack of collection system for majority of households. Most of the uncollected garbage often ends up at roadsides and is eventually carried down the drains and canals, posing a serious threat to people’s health, contributing to environmental pollution, and deteriorating urban livability. Despite various actions by KCC to manage solid waste, several persistent issues, such as logistical challenges, financial constraints, lack of technical expertise, and institutional inefficiencies, hinder the effectiveness of all efforts. Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive understanding of the existing waste management practices, their shortcomings, and potential areas for improvement. This article presents the highlights of a study that took a closer look at Khulna’s current solid waste collection system and the performance of KCC’s existing dumpsites. The study emphasized the importance of adopting enhanced waste management strategies, like organic waste composting, to alleviate environmental damage and promote a healthier living environment. Methodology The study utilized analytical and descriptive research approaches through questionnaire surveys, 12 key informant interviews, and two focus group discussions with stakeholders, including garbage collectors, transporters, residents, conservancy field inspectors, and staff of non-governmental organizations working in the solid waste management sector. An ADB-funded project, known as the Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Planning and Small Works for Khulna City Corporation under the Second City Region Development Project, served as a secondary data source for the study. It provided detailed insights into the existing waste management practices and infrastructure in Khulna. Official KCC records were also reviewed. Field visits to Khulna further contributed valuable insights into solid waste management practices in the city, which is representative of cities in the country and the region. Key Findings Composition of municipal solid waste. Organic waste, mainly food and vegetable scraps from households, constitutes about 79% of the waste stream. Paper and paper products account for 9.5% and plastics make up 3.1%, indicating minimal use of packaging materials. Figure 1: Physical Composition of Municipal Solid Waste (wet weight %) Source: Government of Bangladesh. Local Government Engineering Department. 2022. Initial Environmental Examination: Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Planning and Small works for Khulna City Corporation under the Second City Region Development Project (prepared for the Asian Development Bank). Waste generation. From June to August 2022, a series of questionnaire surveys were conducted with KCC staff responsible for waste collection and transportation from Ward No. 17, as well as at secondary transfer stations and the Rajbandh landfill site. Household garbage had the highest organic content (85.16%), followed by plastic (7.8%), coconut shells (6.47%), and paper products (2.44%). Recyclable Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) waste at the landfill was estimated at 3.46 kilograms (kg), with Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and Polypropylene (PP) waste at 1.34 kg and 1.38 kg, respectively. Figure 2: Daily Waste Generation in Ward No. 17 of KCC Source: Government of Bangladesh. Local Government Engineering Department. 2022. Initial Environmental Examination: Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Planning and Small works for Khulna City Corporation under the Second City Region Development Project (prepared for the Asian Development Bank). Municipal solid waste collection practices. KCC employs two primary solid waste collection systems: roadside bins and door-to-door collection. However, issues such as inadequate and poorly placed bins lead households to dispose waste in open areas or sewers. Community-based methods divide municipal wards into blocks of about 500 houses, each served by a rickshaw van. NGOs and community-based organizations collect waste door-to-door in some wards, but these cover only 10% of the approximately 300,000 households in the city. There is no collection system for the majority of households and most residents take their waste to the nearest secondary transfer station or collection point. Six enclosed secondary transfer stations and additional non-shaded stations handle secondary collection, where waste is moved to final disposal sites by large trucks. Existing disposal system. The field survey of KCC conservancy personnel revealed that over 356 personnel and 50 officials manage solid waste in Khulna City, servicing 114,000 households and 790 small to medium enterprises, which generate 220 tons of waste daily. Only 0.2 kg per person (46%) reaches the landfill due to significant uncollected waste. Many areas are inaccessible to collection vehicles—with more than half of household waste improperly disposed of on roadsides or in waterways—resulting in waste contaminating the environment. The collected waste is transported to the Rajbandh dumping site, causing severe environmental damage near the disposal site. In addition, KCC lacks the necessary human resources to effectively manage municipal solid waste. Local residents have noted irregular waste collection. Community involvement in waste management is also low due to inadequate education and training programs. Conclusions and Recommendations Managing municipal solid waste has become increasingly challenging due to rising waste generation, limited budgets, and insufficient awareness about waste management processes. Urbanization, population growth, and higher consumer demand are key factors driving the increase in solid waste in Khulna City. Thus, effective waste management requires stakeholder support for door-to-door collection through awareness and motivation campaigns. The current practice of roadside open storage can be replaced with well-managed secondary disposal sites, transfer stations, or handover points, tailored to socioeconomic conditions. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) provides various strategies and recommendations for overcoming the waste pollution crisis and recommends eight ways to embrace a zero-waste approach that are valid in Khulna City and in the regional context: (i) combat food waste; (ii) take on textile waste; (iii) avoid electronic waste; (iv) reduce resource use in products; (v) crack down on plastic pollution; (vi) take on hazardous waste; (vii) rethink how cities are designed and managed; and (viii) bolster waste management through investment and training. Additionally, the following specific recommendations may be considered to improve municipal solid waste management in the city: Establish a sanitary landfilling system for a more scientific waste collection and disposal process by KCC. Employ a sufficient number of KCC field staff and commit to regular monitoring of critical operations, encourage employees to improve their performance, and regularly provide professional training. Enhance the skills of rag pickers and municipal waste workers in KCC and incorporate them into the formal solid waste management system. Adopt community-based management of municipal solid waste to address solid waste issues in Khulna City, develop regulations to support conversion of domestic waste into organic manure, and educate residents on composting biodegradable waste. Recognize resource recovery as a key tool as waste can be transformed into valuable products like biogas and organic fertilizer to potentially generate electricity and train KCC employees on effective waste separation at the source. Drawing upon the study of Khulna City Corporation's solid waste management challenges, other city corporations and municipalities across Bangladesh and the region can prioritize improving waste collection infrastructure, enhancing public awareness campaigns on waste segregation and recycling, and investing in sustainable disposal methods—such as composting and waste-to-energy technologies—to mitigate environmental and health impacts effectively. Integrating community participation and leveraging partnerships with local businesses and NGOs can also enhance the efficiency and sustainability of solid waste management efforts across municipalities. This article is based on the study titled Problem and Prospect of Solid Waste Management: A Study on Khulna City Corporation, Bangladesh as published in the international journal “Springer Water.” It was independently undertaken by the author and was peer-reviewed. Saswati G. Belliappa, ADB Senior Safeguards Specialist (Social), provided invaluable guidance and support in the publication of this work. Resources Asian Development Bank. Bangladesh: Second City Region Development Project. Government of Bangladesh. Local Government Engineering Department. 2022. Second City Region Development Project: Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Planning and Small works for Khulna City Corporation Initial Environmental Examination. Q. H. Bari, K. M. Hasan, and R. Haque. 2012. Scenario of Solid Waste Reuse in Khulna City of Bangladesh. Waste Management. 32 (12). pp. 2526–2534. UNEP. 2024. Eight Ways to Overcome the Waste Pollution Crisis. Ask the Experts Minhajur Rahman Khan Associate Safeguards Analyst, South Asia Department, Asian Development Bank Minhajur Rahman Khan joined ADB in 2018 as an associate safeguards analyst. He has over 11 years of experience in project management, with a specialized focus on environmental safeguards, development, and sustainability assessment. Currently, he works on the assessment and monitoring of projects in the energy, transport, health, agriculture, urban development, and finance sectors across Bangladesh under the Bangladesh Resident Mission. He holds a master’s degree in environmental science and management and a bachelor’s degree in applied chemistry and chemical engineering. Leave your question or comment in the section below: View the discussion thread.