With economic development and rapid urbanisation, wastewater management has become a growing challenge globally, according to the UN-Water. In Bhutan, wastewater is polluting rivers, affecting both human health and ecosystems. During the PLEASE Project Waste Symposium in Thimphu, researchers and experts presented innovative solutions to address waste pollution.
From improper disposal of untreated wastewater from households, industries, and businesses to dumping plastic waste, rivers and streams in the country are contaminated.
According to researchers, wastewater from car washes is one of the major pollutants. They say car washes are mostly built near streams and without proper drainage or treatment facilities.
“Surface water pollution from wastewater discharge is a serious issue in Bhutan. We can tackle this through policies and practices, embracing a circular economy to recover energy and nutrients,” said Reeta Rai, a lecturer at Samtse College of Education.
“The ecological risks associated with wastewater released into the Thimphu River are concerning for human health and the environment. One of the solutions that could be implemented is phytoremediation. In phytoremediation plants filter heavy metal by taking up the nutrients,” said Rupesh Subedi, an associate lecturer at Royal Thimphu College.
They say the country could tap into the Wastewater Circular Economy where wastewater is seen as a resource to generate clean energy and fertilise the soil.
Besides wastewater, Bhutan generates more than 170 metric tonnes of solid waste daily, equivalent to 170 garbage trucks, according to the National Waste Inventory Survey 2019.
To address the waste issues, the Waste Symposium conducted today hopes to turn research on waste management into practical solutions, bringing changes in communities.
“We realised that the problem is not the lack of research but the lack of coordination between waste researchers and workers. We conducted the symposium to connect waste workers with researchers so that any work related to waste management can be evidence-based,” said Phub Dorji, a communications and advocacy specialist with the Bhutan Ecological Society.
The Bhutan Ecological Society and the Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia or PLEASE project organised the symposium.
Deki Lhazom
Edited by Sangay Chezom
