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After perfecting the community-based composting model, Waste Concern turned its attention to the many tons of organic waste generated by Dhaka’s business sector, notably its many produce markets. WC took advantage of the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to create the world’s first carbon-trading scheme based on compost. Last November it launched this new project at its Bulta plant, which lies next to farmland and brick factories a couple of hours northeast of Dhaka. Initially, this new project collected only 10 tons of organic waste daily from the Karwan Bazar market, but it should reach 100 tons later this month, says deputy plant manager Syed “Jubilee” Ahmed. After the waste is trucked in, it is spread out in open-air bins, monitored carefully, and becomes saleable compost in a little over a month. Two other CDM composting plants are planned to open this year to handle a combined 700 tons of organic waste per day, says Sinha. That works out to 233 tons of finished, dry compost every day with a retail value of nearly $14,000. Composting works well in a nation like Bangladesh because of the tropical climate and high percentage of organic waste in the trash stream. Organic waste buried in a landfill can generate greenhouse gases, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. But when the organic waste is composted in the open air, these gases are not made. The fact of this negative generation amounts to carbon credits, which can be traded on overseas markets for $20 per ton. “From one ton of organic waste,” says Sinha. “You can reduce half a ton of greenhouse gas.” When it reaches full capacity, this CDM project will reduce CO2 emissions by 127,750 tons per year. The carbon credits will be worth $2.5 million. “Waste Concern is doing a commendable job,” says Quamrul Islam Chowdhury, chairman of Forum of Environmental Journalists of Bangladesh. “It is really important to translate those wastes into resources because that will help the country achieve sustainable development in the years ahead.”