ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITING

Presented by: Sarbin Chowdhury

Assistant Comptroller & Auditor General

Office of the Comptroller & Auditor General of Bangladesh

Background:

Two officers of SAI Bangladesh had participated INNTOSAI- Working Group on Environmental Auditing (WGEA) International Workshop on Environmental Auditing at Antalya, Turkey. The training and orientation program was very much effective. Our participants in the said seminar presented an audit plan on waste management. In continuation of this program we conducted audit on wastes management of Dhaka city, capital of Bangladesh.

Major findings of the Audit:

Observation 1: Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), the formal agency of Dhaka city wastes management does not separately collect and dispose hazardous wastes.

Observation 2: No pre-treatment of hazardous wastes including hazardous clinical wastes.

Observation 3: Poor quality dumping/land filling of wastes.

Observation 4: Illegal land-filling sites are in existence.

Observation 5: Illegal waste sites seriously endanger environmental quality of the locality.

Observation 6: Collection and transportation of wastes is well mechanized: room for improvement.

Observation 7: Poor management of waste sites.

Observation 8: No recycling of wastes as yet.

Observation 9: Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) does not have a detailed policy/procedure for waste management.

Observation 10: The DCC ordinance is not adequate to facilitate wastes management of Dhaka city.

Observation 11: Monitoring system is not well documented.

Observation 12: Prevention of waste generation not covered in waste policy.

Recommendations of the Audit:

Audit has strongly recommended for a more controlled and integrated management of the waste stream, for reducing the probability of the associated risks of a poor waste management.

DCC should immediately decide to separate the collection and disposal of hazardous wastes.

DCC should immediately classify hazardous wastes and go for pre-treatment procedures.

DCC should seriously try to develop modern and safe land-filling sites and should target to develop those, far from the city.

The authority should take immediate measures to list the illegal dumping sites and clear off those.

To minimise illegal waste sites Audit strongly suggests-

To identify illegal wastes site particularly those in and around government residential areas and impose penalties/taxes for the inhabitants.

To close all illegal markets or impose high taxes on the traders.

To increase number of waste sites.

DCC should take the following measures to improve collection and transportation aspect-

Carrying wastes on open trucks lead to scattering of wastes all over the city. Appropriate measures should e take to minimise such scattering. Trucks should not e overloaded.

Carrying of wastes during daytime should also be minimised, by taking rationalisation of fleet movement.

In some cases, there is community collection up-to DCC waste site.

To improve poor management of waste sites DCC should:

Properly maintain the bins.

Explore the possibility of providing lids/covers for the bins and gradually replace the existing bins with covered and movable bins.

 Try to increase number of bins and increase its command area.

DCC may initiate the process of recycling.

DCC should develop a written and well-documented policy procedure for waste management.

The ordinance should be updated, taking into account the present needs.

DCC should develop a written motoring and supervision system for monitoring of waste management activities.

13: For prevention of waste generation not covered in waste policy:

- DCC should include privation of waste management plan/policy.

This aspect has to e covered in the national environmental policy, under the national waste policy.

Appropriate regulations should be framed for prevention of industrial and commercial wastes.

DCC should be empowered to be able to make any prevention policy successful.

Effectiveness of the Audit:

Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), the formal agency of the waste management of Dhaka took cognizance of the audit recommendations. Particularly the corporation took specific measures like appointing contractors for separating hazardous wastes and for making necessary pre-treatment, appointing consultants for studying waste stream. The corporation is learnt to take initiatives regarding improvement of waste sites and land-filling sites. DCC is also taking steps to improve the monitoring system. They are preparing to make some necessary amendments in the existing laws relating to wastes management.  

Next Step:

Our SAI has already finalised an audit plan on Clinical Wastes Management covering the whole sector. We expect to commence this audit shortly.