Karachi, Pakistan

Consumption

In spite of the difficult economic conditions and the low standard of living, with the majority of the population situated below the poverty line, the [Page 458]transition toward a consumer culture is evident in the densely populated urban region of Karachi. Indicating the country's lax import policy, extensive varieties of foreign goods are easily available in stores throughout the city, ranging from cosmetics and clothes to food items. Franchises of many multinational fast food chains crop up frequently and, as a result, Karachi had seven McDonald's restaurants as of 2010 and an even larger number of Pizza Hut branches. The kinds and varieties of products marketed have affected eating and living habits and, ultimately, the kind of waste generated. Subsequently, a general shift from organic to inorganic substances is discernible in garbage composition, combined with an overall rise in packaging material, particularly plastics. In 2001, around 40 percent of the waste was biodegradable, roughly 10 percent was paper, and the amounts of metal and glass as well as textiles and leather were even less.

Waste Management

In accordance with its size, Karachi produces more than 10 times the waste generated in the Punjabi cities of Islamabad and Multan combined, and this amount has an annual growth rate of 2.4 percent. Varying between 6,000 and 7,000 tons daily per person in 2001, the city's waste production is almost double that of New Delhi and is among the highest in south Asia. From this, according to the country's environmental department, less than half succeeds in reaching a landfill site, even though more than 1 billion Pakistani rupees are spent annually by the city on solid waste management.

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