Bangladesh: Turning organic waste in local resilience

ORGANISATION
Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO)

LOCATION
Lalmatia (Dhaka), Shalbon and Betgari (Rangpur), Bangladesh

The challenge: unmanaged organic waste fuelling disaster risk

Unmanaged organic waste is a growing urban challenge in Bangladesh. When left to decompose in open dumps, it releases methane – a greenhouse gas over 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide – accelerating climate change and intensifying disaster risks.

In Rangpur, where droughts and extreme heat are already common, these emissions compound environmental stress and threaten community health. Recognising this, the Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) launched the Zero Waste Communities project to demonstrate how modest, local investments in organic waste management can reduce disaster risk, protect the environment, and improve community well-being.

Implementation: community-driven waste solutions

The project engaged 450 households across three communities in Dhaka and Rangpur, using participatory approaches to ensure ownership and long-term sustainability.

Key interventions included:

• Installation of 150 twin-pit composting units in Betgari (Rangpur)
• Distribution of 15 urban composters (8 in Dhaka, 7 in Rangpur)
• Provision of 300 household bins for waste segregation at source
• Formation of three community-based organisations (CBOs) to sustain local initiatives
• Training and PPE distribution for 33 waste workers to improve safety and hygiene

To amplify awareness, ESDO also developed educational materials, produced video documentaries, and ran SMS and media campaigns promoting zero waste practices.

Impact: turning waste into resilience

The project’s results extended well beyond cleaner streets.

• Households began converting kitchen waste into compost for rooftop and kitchen gardens, improving food security and reducing household costs
• Waste workers, now trained and equipped with protective gear, reported safer handling and reduced exposure to health risks
• Local networks emerged among CBOs, recyclers and service providers, creating new income opportunities through compost and organic fertiliser sales
• Municipal authorities became more engaged, recognising the value of zero waste approaches and exploring policy integration

One participant from Rangpur shared:

“Earlier, waste was a burden. Now it feeds my garden, and I feel proud that I am helping the environment.”

How small investments prevented larger losses

With modest investments in bins, composting units, training, PPE, and facilitation, the project delivered resilience outcomes that far outweighed its costs:

• Reduced public health risks from unmanaged waste
• Lower municipal waste management costs
• Prevention of methane emissions, mitigating local climate impacts
• Improved soil fertility and moisture retention, enhancing resilience against drought

These outcomes show that small-scale disaster risk reduction (DRR) financing can prevent much larger social and economic losses.

Why it matters for disaster risk reduction finance

The Zero Waste Communities project demonstrates that proactive investment in waste management is an effective form of disaster prevention. By reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving livelihoods, and fostering local leadership, ESDO’s initiative shows how community-level DRR financing can generate long-term resilience dividends.

Scaling up similar approaches – backed by policy support and sustained funding – can help communities across Bangladesh avert climate-driven disasters.

This International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, GNDR calls for governments, donors, the private sector and financial institutions to prioritise funding for resilience, not just funding for disasters when they strike.

All photos: Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO)