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Leveraging ICT in Karachi’s Solid Waste Management System by Involving Waste Pickers, Recyclers, and Community—An Integrated Approach
Summary
This study proposes integrating informal waste pickers and recyclers into Karachi's formal solid waste management system using information and communication technology (ICT). Better waste collection infrastructure, including for plastic waste, could reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in rivers and eventually the ocean.
The authors of this article argue that connecting informal waste pickers and recyclers to the formal waste management system can potentially improve the efficiency and sustainability of the waste management system, as well as provide economic opportunities for the informal waste pickers and recyclers themselves. To do so, this study analyzes the current solid waste management practices and prospects in Karachi, Pakistan. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews and workshops with a sample of five officials from governmental institutions Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB), Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), District Municipal Committees (DMCs) and several waste pickers. Findings that need to be addressed revealed that solid waste management in Karachi faces significant challenges. Potential strategies for addressing them include involving and integrating waste pickers in the formal waste management system, promoting the use of reusable and or recyclable materials, and developing and improving waste reduction and recycling programs. This can be achieved by exploring new technologies and approaches. Leveraging the potential of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) practices such as mobile and web applications, data analytics, and social media are used here to help improve solid waste management practices in Karachi. As a result, the authors conclude that connecting waste pickers and recyclers to the waste management system through partnerships that include government, and/or organizational programs, independent collection and processing of recyclable materials can contribute to a more sustainable and efficient waste management system for the city of Karachi and scaled to other cities currently using a system similar to that of Karachi.
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