Implementing TQM in Lahore Waste Management System.

LAHORE: From a social and an economic standpoint, waste disposal is one of the most crucial needs of an urban center. Not only does it help with the health of citizens, it is also important in maintaining the scenic beauty of Lahore which has positive impacts on the mental health of its residents.

As the population of Lahore grows its waste management must keep up in terms of efficiency and overall quality of the system. The majority of Lahore's waste collection is done by individuals who are not affiliated with the government or by contractors. However, since there is a lack of standard practices and a missing feedback loop, the current collection system proves to be inadequate.

According to reports, the waste management system at its current level has severe negative impacts on the environment and the residents of Lahore.

Improper waste disposal has direct consequences on water quality in Lahore as well. It is noted that about 80% of water in the country is polluted. The main cause of this pollution is improperly disposed household sewage and industrial and agricultural waste which is not properly managed. As of 2016, 14 drains were pouring 2000 cusec of waste into the River Ravi system.

Quality lies in the consistency of the system to deliver its required functions in a timely manner.

For the purpose of this research, the residents of Lahore are viewed as the customers while the waste management system is considered the firm. Based on this premise, the research explores best practices to ensure quality in our waste management system which is sustainable both environmentally and economically.

Discussion

The city of Lahore with its population of more than 11 million people generates more than 7,510 tons of waste per day, extrapolated to a month this figure becomes 221,659 tons of waste.

Furthermore, only about 51%-69%of waste is collected by municipalities and there is little concept of waste segregation within this. Scavengers and private waste collectors play a substantial role in waste collection in Lahore, however, even they take materials that can be sold and dump the rest in garbage piles in neighborhoods across the city.

Despite the fact that Lahore's waste disposal system has been outsourced to a great extent, there are still instances of unregulated waste disposal and large garbage dumps at street corners, especially when the focus is moved to areas not included in the heart of the city.

As far as legislation is concerned, the...