Garbage is resource, not waste

Officials of the Eco-park in Mymensingh town instructing two female workers shifting the bio-fertiliser produced in the plant. PHOTO: STAR

Though delayed, three beds at the plant has started operation and the rest one will be ready soon, plant officials told this correspondent during a recent visit.

Survey for the project was started in July last year and production was scheduled to begin in February but it was deferred as infrastructure work could not be completed.

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Situated at Mailakanda, the authorities call the plant Maila-kanda Eco-park.

The project has been implemented by Mymensingh municipality in cooperation with Save the Young and Waste Concern, two NGOs. It was funded by the Unicef and the Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE). CARE, Bangladesh is monitoring the project.

This correspondent during the visit found yards of the Eco-Park filled with garbage. At least eight tonnes of garbage collected from the ward are processed daily to produce bio-fertiliser, project officials said.

The garbage is kept at the beds for 45 days for rotting and then dried in sun for 10 days. Sawdust and Effective Micro-organision (EM) mixed with water are sprayed on the garbage to remove bad odor. These are then turned into dust in machines, which is bio-fertiliser.

Mymensingh Municipality Slum Development Officer and Super-visor of the Eco-park project Jaglul Rahman said five to seven tonnes of bio-fertiliser will be produced in the three beds within a month and then they will go for marketing.

"Waste Concern is happy with our product but the rate is yet to be finalised", he said.

After commissioning of the project, roads and lanes now remain clean as four trollymen pick up garbage piled up at some selected spots.

Shahjahan Ansar, a resident, said they are happy with the Eco-park as their area is now clean of garbage.

A club titled Eco-Friends with 100 members has been formed in Ward No.6 to create awareness about environment pollution. The club will soon start holding rallies and discussion meetings, sources said.

Jaglul said 35 waste containers have been placed at different points also in Ward No 1 so that residents can dispose of household waste. "They can also sell the waste", he said adding that the project will be expanded if we get positive response, he said.

"Garbage is no more a menace, it is a good resource", said Municipal Executive Engineer Md. Akbar Hossain. The project will be expanded, he added.

Mymensingh Municipality Chairman Mahmud-Al-Noor Tareq and UNICEF Project Coordinator Fahim Uddin Ahmed also maintain close contact with the Eco-Park authorities, sources said.