Dhaka Waste-to-Energy Plant Sparks Fierce Backlash Over Air Pollution Fears

DHAKA: Environmentalists and local residents in Dhaka are raising serious concerns over a major waste-to-energy plant project, warning that the facility could severely worsen the city’s already critical air pollution levels. The controversial project, designed to incinerate municipal solid waste to generate electricity, has faced intense scrutiny from green activists who argue that the technology deployed poses severe public health risks to surrounding communities.

According to reports from Mongabay, the plant is being constructed to manage Dhaka’s mounting waste crisis, but experts warn that burning trash releases toxic pollutants, including dioxins, furans, and heavy metals. Environmental groups argue that the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the project failed to adequately address these hazardous emissions. Activists are demanding that the government pivot toward sustainable waste management practices, such as recycling and composting, rather than relying on high-emission incineration.

Dhaka consistently ranks among the world’s most polluted cities, with its citizens already suffering from chronic respiratory illnesses due to poor air quality. Introducing a massive waste-to-energy incinerator near densely populated residential zones could exacerbate this public health crisis, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities. Furthermore, critics point out that such projects undermine Bangladesh’s climate commitments by locking the country into carbon-intensive energy infrastructure for decades.

In response to the growing backlash, local advocacy groups are planning a series of public demonstrations and legal challenges to halt the plant’s operations until a comprehensive, independent environmental audit is conducted. Government officials have defended the project as a necessary step for urban waste management, but pressure is mounting for a policy review to align the facility with international emission standards.