Evaluating Municipal SOLID Waste Mismanagement and Surface Water Degradation in Secondary Cities: An Empirical Study of Dinajpur, Bangladesh

Abstract Rapid urbanization in secondary cities like Dinajpur, Bangladesh, presents severe challenges for municipal solid waste management (SWM). This study evaluates Dinajpur’s current SWM system through stratified field surveys, municipal record reviews, and physicochemical laboratory testing of nearby surface water bodies. Findings reveal that 9-11 tons of unsegregated solid waste are generated daily, serviced by only 150 open collection points and six non-compacting vehicles. Unregulated dumping at major sites (Matasagor and Lalbag) has caused severe environmental degradation. Surface water testing adjacent to disposal sites demonstrated alarming contamination, with near-anoxic Dissolved Oxygen levels (Do averaging 0.17 mg/L) and elevated Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD averaging 280 mg/L), alongside high Nitrate (15.6 mg/L) and Phosphorus (10.9 mg/L) loading. To mitigate public health risks and aquatic ecosystem collapse, a multi-tiered framework is proposed: enforcing source segregation, optimizing collection routes, establishing transfer and sorting facilities, adopting decentralized composting, and constructing an engineered trench-type sanitary landfill. This study provides a vital baseline for municipal authorities and offers a scalable waste management model for rapidly growing urban centers in developing nations.