KARACHI: The Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) has begun implementing an ambitious strategy to ensure that up to 50 percent of urban garbage generated in Sindh — comprising organic waste and other recyclable materials does not end up in landfill sites but is instead recycled for the good of the environment.
SSWMB Managing Director Tariq Ali Nizamani, speaking as the keynote speaker at the Annual Environment Conference-2025 organised by the National Forum for Environment & Health (NFEH), said this effort had already seen the establishment of three waste recycling, compost and biofuel production plants in Karachi, while the fourth one — a plastic recycling facility began operating in Hyderabad on 1 August 2025.
He said that approximately 14,000 tonnes of municipal waste generated in Karachi and 1,1000 tonnes produced in Hyderabad daily were a massive challenge for SSWMB, whose disposal should take place through such sustainable means. These strategies will be deployed to make Sindh clean and green, said the SSWMB chief.
The Hyderabad’s new recycling plant processes 25 tonnes of inferior-quality polyethylene waste daily, converting it into high-strength, eco-friendly manhole covers. Each 50-kilogramme cover can withstand up to 18 tonnes of pressure, replacing metallic covers that are often stolen, causing fatal accidents.
He added that the World Bank-backed facility would employ around 80 people formerly working in the informal sector. Alongside plastic recycling, the SSWMB would conduct training workshops to educate citizens on converting daily kitchen waste into compost to enhance green cover in their neighbourhoods.
Highlighting SSWMB’s ongoing sustainability initiatives, Nizamani informed the audience that more than half of Sindh’s urban waste comprises organic and recyclable materials that can be repurposed, substantially reducing pressure on landfill sites.
The conference, themed “Environment, Climate Change, Corporate Leadership – Towards a Sustainable Pakistan” also featured speeches emphasising the need for provincial autonomy to effectively address environmental degradation and climate change.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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