About 37,000 tons of waste, or 74% of all waste produced every day in Iran, are disposed improperly, which could lead to significant health and environmental problems, according to Houshang Khandandel, deputy minister of interior for urban and rural affairs.
Speaking to reporters in Arak, Markazi Province, the official said only 26% of all waste produced in the country are disposed as per standards, Mehr News Agency reported.
“The ministry intends to address the issue in the sixth five-year economic development plan (2016-21),” he said.
Khandandel said moving toward production of refuse-derived fuel—fuel produced from waste with high caloric value—can help ease the problem.
He pointed to Arak’s daily production of 400 to 500 tons of waste and acknowledged the city’s struggle with garbage collection and disposal.
“A plan was proposed last year aimed at efficient collection, storage and disposal of waste in Arak, which has had a positive impact,” he said, adding that more needs to be done to effectively tackle the problem.
