A Tk16 crore waste segregation plant in Sylhet has failed to ease the city’s mounting garbage problem, with large volumes of residual waste continuing to pile up at the dumping station despite daily processing.
The Material Recovery Facility (MRF), set up at the Lalmatia dumping ground in South Surma, was designed to turn waste into reusable resources, reduce pressure on landfill sites and curb environmental pollution.
However, nearly one and a half years after its launch, the initiative has yet to deliver its intended results.
Instead, unprocessed and segregated waste continues to accumulate at the site, forming growing mounds of garbage.
The plant, operated jointly by Sylhet City Corporation and LafargeHolcim Bangladesh, extracts around 50–70 tonnes of plastic and polythene daily, which are sent to Lafarge’s cement factory for use as alternative fuel. The arrangement with Lafarge existed even before the installation of the facility.
Inaugurated in February 2024 by then Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) minister Md Tajul Islam, the MRF was the country’s first such waste segregation plant.
City corporation data show that Sylhet generates around 500 tonnes of waste daily, of which 250–300 tonnes are transported to the dumping station. The plant processes between 150 and 300 tonnes per day, separating recyclable materials from mixed waste streams.
However, officials acknowledge that there is no effective system for managing the remaining waste after segregation, which is again dumped at the site alongside fresh incoming garbage.
On the ground, waste collected from across the city is fed into the plant’s sorting system, where conveyor belts separate plastic and non-biodegradable materials from organic and heavier waste. Toxic liquid waste generated during the process drains beneath the facility.
Plant sources said about 300 tonnes of waste are processed daily, with roughly 50 tonnes of plastic diverted to Lafarge. The remaining more than 250 tonnes are left at the dumping station.
Field visits show extensive piles of waste spread across the site, with older garbage mixed with fresh waste. A strong stench spreads to surrounding areas, while residents report that black, contaminated liquid often seeps into nearby land and low-lying areas during rainfall.
Officials say plastic and polythene are currently the only materials being commercially utilised. Organic waste, soil, cloth, paper and other mixed materials are not being converted into compost, fuel or electricity.
Sylhet City Corporation Chief Waste Officer Mohammad Eklim Abedin said around 150 tonnes of waste are being processed daily, with about 50 tonnes of plastic recovered and supplied to Lafarge.
He said the remaining waste continues to be dumped at the site, while long-term plans include electricity generation from waste and the introduction of biomining technology.
“At present, the city generates around 475 tonnes of waste daily, and we are transporting more than 300 tonnes,” he said, adding that previous estimates had placed the figure lower.
He said discussions were ongoing with the environment ministry and a Chinese company on waste-to-energy projects. “Biomining technology can process decades-old waste, but it requires significant investment and manpower,” he said.
On the partnership with Lafarge, he said the company provides technical support and helps maintain the plant.
“By sending around 50 tonnes of plastic daily to Lafarge, the waste burden is reduced. At present, we do not have the manpower or infrastructure to convert waste into briquettes or other commercial products,” he added.
