From Compost to Chaos: Why Jashore’s 5Rs Waste Plan Falls Short of Sustainability

A new study conducted by the Department of Environmental Science and Technology at Jashore University of Science and Technology in Bangladesh, the Department of Tropical Ecology at Visayas State University in the Philippines, and the Department of Chemistry at the National Institute of Technology in India has brought the shortcomings of solid waste management in Jashore into sharp focus. The research assessed how far the community and the Jashore Municipal Waste Treatment Plant (JMWTP) have progressed in adopting the five globally recognized strategies of waste handling: refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle. What emerged is a picture of partial success: while some recycling and reusing efforts are visible, the vital practices of refusing unnecessary materials and repurposing old items are barely present. This imbalance has significant implications, both for public health and the municipality’s ambition of achieving sustainability.

A City Generating More Than It Can Manage

Bangladesh generates more than 16,000 metric tons of waste every day, a figure projected to triple by 2025. Jashore, like many growing municipalities, mirrors this troubling trend. Households there generate between one and ten kilograms of waste daily, with a majority producing one to five kilograms. The composition of the waste stream underscores the challenge: three-quarters of it is organic matter, while the remainder includes plastics, textiles, paper, glass, and ceramics. To manage this, Jashore established the JMWTP in 2017, for 23 crore taka and spanning 15 acres. Designed as a showcase of scientific waste management, the plant processes around 45 metric tons of waste each day and produces 1.5 metric tons of compost, 100 cubic meters of biogas, and 600 kilowatts of electricity. These achievements, however, have not eliminated the piles of uncollected garbage, clogged drains, or the practice of open burning that still plagues the city.

The Missing Pieces of the 5Rs

One of the study’s most telling findings is the near absence of two crucial Rs: refuse and repurpose. Very few residents were familiar with the idea of refusing unnecessary or harmful products, and even fewer practiced it in daily life. Repurposing was scarcely better, with only about 15 percent of households finding alternative uses for old containers, clothes, or furniture. Even the municipal plant authorities admitted that repurposing is not yet part of their operational framework. By contrast, recycling enjoys a stronger foothold, at least within the plant itself, where waste is meticulously sorted. Organic waste is converted into fertilizer and biogas, while leachate is treated using natural filtration methods. At the household level, however, recycling and reducing remain weak, with only small numbers of people reusing plastic bottles, limiting packaging, or separating waste at source.

Opportunities and Risks Intertwined

The paradox of Jashore’s waste system is that it offers both problems and opportunities in equal measure. On the one hand, 82 percent of residents recognize that solid waste management contributes to the economy, largely by creating jobs for collectors, transporters, and plant workers. Compost sales and electricity generation also strengthen the financial base of the municipal program. Socially, most residents acknowledged benefits such as better sanitation, cleaner surroundings, and improved public health. Nearly 96 percent agreed that proper waste handling improved the visual appeal of their neighborhoods. Yet, these positives are accompanied by stark negatives. Poorly managed landfills leak toxic substances into the soil and water, while open disposal continues to pollute the air. Diseases linked to waste exposure remain a threat. In effect, Jashore’s system is delivering partial gains but falling short of its promise of clean, sustainable urban living.

The Road Toward a Zero-Waste City

The research also revealed how demographic factors shape attitudes toward waste management. Education plays a pivotal role, with more educated households showing greater appreciation of the social and environmental benefits of proper disposal. Gender differences emerged, with men more likely to highlight soil-related impacts, while larger households expressed greater concern for water quality. Professional backgrounds further influenced views on the social dimensions of waste management. These findings suggest that awareness, or the lack of it, is the most decisive barrier to wider adoption of sustainable practices. To bridge this gap, the study recommends large-scale awareness campaigns, the inclusion of waste management concepts in school curricula, and closer collaboration with NGOs and community organizations. Incentives, such as reduced waste collection fees or discounts on compost for households that separate their waste, could also encourage behavioral change. Still, serious hurdles remain, including limited budgets, weak institutional coordination, low literacy rates, and ingrained habits of indiscriminate dumping.

For all its challenges, the Jashore Municipal Waste Treatment Plant demonstrates that a circular economy is within reach. Its capacity to turn waste into compost, biogas, and electricity proves that urban waste can be transformed into resources. Yet without full adherence to all 5 Rs, Jashore risks remaining trapped in a cycle of partial progress. The study concludes that the city’s struggle reflects a larger dilemma faced by many urban centers in developing countries: technological advances promise sustainable solutions, but without strong institutions, education, and community participation, progress will remain incomplete. Jashore’s experience shows that tackling waste is not just about infrastructure; it is about shifting culture, policy, and practice together. Only then can the dream of a zero-waste city become a reality.