Health consequences of inadequate solid waste management in Bangladesh: pollution, disease, and contamination risks

This study investigates landfill leachate contamination at six major landfill sites in Bangladesh such as Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), Khulna City Corporation (KCC), Sylhet City Corporation (SCC), Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), and Barishal City Corporation (BCC) by analyzing existing published data. The focus is on evaluating the impact of leachate on local water bodies and edible plants. A systematic search of databases including ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar from 2000 to 2023 was conducted using terms such as landfill leachate, contamination, heavy metals, and health risk assessment. The search adhered to PRISMA guidelines to ensure comprehensive literature coverage. Data collected involved leachate composition, waste production rates, and management practices through standardized sampling protocols, municipal statistics, and field surveys. Analytical methods included physical sorting and weighing of waste, as well as chemical analyses for Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), and heavy metal concentrations using atomic absorption spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The study also evaluated waste treatment technologies like membrane bioreactors, pyrolysis, gasification, and, incineration assessing their efficiency in pollutant removal, energy recovery, and by-product quality. This research highlights the significant contamination issues posed by landfill leachate, providing insights into its impact on environmental and human health, and underscores the need for improved waste management and treatment technologies in Bangladesh.