Sticky, Stinky, Squalid: The Toxic Leachate of Households' Waste in an Area of Urban Decay in Tehran (Iran)

Part of the subordinated districts of Tehran, Iran, is under the supervision of a department in the municipality responsible for renovating areas of urban decay. At the same time, based on the Antiquities law, every monument or object older than 100 years and considered significant would be entitled "heritage." This bureaucratic process makes any reconstruction of subordinated districts complicated or impossible. The long-term conflict between these two sections of the government and the poverty of inhabitants of some historical districts have worsened the situation in areas of urban decay. In the time of doing a garbology project in Tehran in 2018, my colleagues and I investigated the daily garbage of impoverished inhabitants living on the southwestern side of the city. The garbage bags remain in open areas of streets or containers for several days, causing layers of toxic leachate. The aim of this report is to discuss the shortcomings of waste management systems in urban decay, especially after being considered "heritage," which leads to the formation of toxic substances from daily garbage.