Cancel the 50 MW Waste-to-energy Plant in Char Bakalia: Prioritize Alternative Waste Management Strategies

KEY FINDINGS

Chattogram City Corporation proposed a 50 MW waste-to-energy  (WTE) plant on 14.164 ha of land in the heart of Karnaphuli River of  Char Bakalia. The responsibility for implementing the project was given to a Chinese company through a bidding process in 2023. The  key findings of this study are:

• Emission of greenhouse gases from the WTE plant will be 392  thousand tons annually and 9800 thousand tons over its life cycle,  which can pose a severe threat to the rich biodiversity of Char  Bakalia, including 155 plant species and endangered and migratory  birds. 

• The daily transportation of 3,000 tons of waste through the river  will reduce the river's width and increase the risk of pollution,  particularly endangering the natural breeding of carp fishes in the  Halda River. 

• Disruption to the river's flow and the fishing sector will negatively impact the local economy. Investing in the WTE project will destroy long-term sustainable development opportunities. 

• The power plant will emit more greenhouse gases (GHGs) than coal-based power plants. Additionally, the emission of harmful substances such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon  mono-oxide, particulate matter, dioxins, and heavy metals lead to  chest ailments including respiratory issues and other health  problems among the local residents.

• According to the Article 18 (A) of  Bangladesh Constitution and the  Court rule of 2019, a waste to energy  project on the river is entirely  illegal.

• Biodegradable portions of organic waste have to be converted into  organic fertilizer and plastic wastes have to be recycled for a  sustainable system.

• Instead of a WTE plant, setting up a solar power plant can help to  reduce carbon dioxide emissions of 279.568 thousand tons  annually and 6989 thousand tons over its life cycle and will be more  cost-effective in the long run.