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Waste as Resource for Pakistan: An Innovative Business Model of Regenerative Circular Economy to Integrate Municipal Solid Waste Management Sector

Author

Listed:
  • Asif Iqbal

    (Sustainable Development Study Center (SDSC), Government College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

  • Abdullah Yasar

    (Sustainable Development Study Center (SDSC), Government College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

  • Amtul Bari Tabinda

    (Sustainable Development Study Center (SDSC), Government College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

  • Rafia Haider

    (Capital Development Authority (CDA), Government of Pakistan, Islamabad 04404, Pakistan)

  • Imran Ali Sultan

    (Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 2139, USA)

  • Aman Anwer Kedwii

    (The Urban Unit, Planning and Development Department, Government of the Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

  • Muhammad Murtaza Chaudhary

    (Department of Pharmacy, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK
    Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK)

  • Muhammad Minhaj Sheikh

    (The Urban Unit, Planning and Development Department, Government of the Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

  • Abdul-Sattar Nizami

    (Sustainable Development Study Center (SDSC), Government College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

Abstract

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is a global concern, especially in low–middle-income countries such as Pakistan, which require the redressal of MSW treatment issues to attain sustainability in the waste sector. The prosperity of municipal solid waste (MSW) collectors, i.e., the sanitary workers, is critical in the waste management hierarchy. Hence, the health, safety, social welfare, economic conditions and overall wellbeing of this tier need to be focused on more. Safeguarding the interests of the sanitary workers will support the MSW management sector in sustainability, which will help to generate revenue and minimize climatic impacts. An innovative MSW business model with waste ownership and technological intervention has excellent potential to support the sector towards a circular economy in Pakistan, the fifth most populous country in the world, generating about 100,000 metric tons of MSW per day. The proposed recycling business model will ensure a daily material recovery of 26,070 tons with 4721 tons of compost manufacturing in the country, which ultimately helps towards achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and meeting the targets of nationally determined contributors (NDCs) by 2030. In addition, the sector’s economic potential can contribute 5.5% to the total annual budget and possibly pay 1.4% of the gross domestic product (GDP) per annum to service national foreign debt, thus helping maintain the debt threshold value with an opportunity to accelerate the economic growth of Pakistan.

Suggested Citation

  • Asif Iqbal & Abdullah Yasar & Amtul Bari Tabinda & Rafia Haider & Imran Ali Sultan & Aman Anwer Kedwii & Muhammad Murtaza Chaudhary & Muhammad Minhaj Sheikh & Abdul-Sattar Nizami, 2023. "Waste as Resource for Pakistan: An Innovative Business Model of Regenerative Circular Economy to Integrate Municipal Solid Waste Management Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-29, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:7:p:6281-:d:1117125
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Rana Muhammad Zulqarnain & Hongwei Wang & Imran Siddique & Rifaqat Ali & Hamza Naveed & Saalam Ali Virk & Muhammad Irfan Ahamad, 2025. "Thermochemical Techniques for Disposal of Municipal Solid Waste Based on the Intuitionistic Fuzzy Hypersoft Evaluation Based on the Distance from the Average Solution Technique," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-36, January.
    2. Zhang, Ran & Xu, Xiaodong & Liu, Ke & Kong, Lingyu & Wang, Wei & Wortmann, Thomas, 2024. "Airflow modelling for building design: A designers' review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    3. Monfared, Marzieh & Marandi, Fateme & Sauer, Philipp C., 2025. "Achieving sustainable development by integrating circular economy principles into solid waste management: A systematic literature review and research agenda," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).

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