WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND POLICY IN INDIA

Almitra H Patel, Member, Supreme Court Committee for SWM in Class 1 Cities
50 Kothnur, Bagalur R, Bangalore 5!00"" almitrapatel#reiffmail$%om
Introduction
Women, &hether the' &or( &ithin the home or outsie, are e)pe%te in most so%ieties to
o the %oo(ing, &hi%h generates the bioegraable &astes that e%a' most reail' an
%ause the greatest problems if un%olle%te$ Women bear the brunt of %aring for famil'
members &ith &aste*relate illnesses %ause b' flies, rats, pollute &ater an smo(ing
&aste*piles$ Women ha+e to ma(e up for the misse a's of s%hool %ause b' su%h
illnesses, an manage the home &ith less of e+er'thing &hen si%( &age earners ha+e to
sta' home$ An &omen, to sur+i+e, are most often the ones to forage for s%raps an
re%'%lables from &aste*umps$
Sal', poli%ies in most so%ieties are mae b' men &ho o not thin( about or %are about
these burens, be%ause the State usuall' oes not ha+e to bear the real %osts of si%(ness,
absen%e an misse s%hooling, an e%onomists %hoose not to a%%ount for these %osts in
their national bugets$
,et there is hope$ Men, &omen, an %hilren too, if the' %hoose, ha+e the opportunit' to
manage &aste &ithin the home an mitigate man' of the problems asso%iate &ith poor
&aste management$ Some of -nia.s best pra%ti%es are es%ribe belo&$ What the State
nees to o is to re%ogni/e, support an re&ar su%h efforts$ 0his is &hat man' %iti/ens in
-nia are tr'ing to a%hie+e$
Waste is Wealth
-n -nia.s +illages, an other rural e%onomies, ra& foo &aste is &or(e into the soil
aroun plants or %o%onut trees, or ae into a ba%('ar pit &ith the stra& being from
%attle*shes, to e%ompose naturall' into %ompost that is full' use in the fiels e+er'
monsoon$ Coo(e foo is rarel' &aste, or is fe to li+esto%($ 1ntil plasti%s %ame along to
repla%e leaf or paper pa%(aging, this an%ient pra%ti%e of returning nutrients to the soil &as
sustainable, profitable an nuisan%e*free$
0he problem of &aste began as +illages gre& larger, an began to ump their &aste in
%ompost*heaps a&a' from their homes, on the outs(irts of the +illage, generall' besie the
footpaths for ease of isposal an of %olle%ting before planting$ Ar%haeologists an
anthropologists toa' e)%a+ate su%h an%ient 2miens3 for %lues to &hat earl' man gre&,
ate, an thre& a&a'$ As +illages ha+e gro&n into to&ns an %ities an urban %lusters,
these habits ha+e le to our streets being use not 4ust for traffi%, but also as a pla%e to
ump &aste at all hours, an, if an &hen it is %olle%te, being thro&n 4ust outsie the %it'
limits, often into the ba%('ar of the to&n or +illage ne)t oor$
Before the age of plasti%s an pa%(aging an inustriali/ation, urban &aste &as still
+aluable5 bullo%(*%arts bringing prou%e into to&n &oul %olle%t an return &ith %it' &aste
for their fiels$ But moern mi)e &aste is useless$
Plasti%s rener the lan less fertile or e+en un%ulti+able, 'et %ities %ontinue to ump on the
outs(irts as before$ 0hese is%are piles be%ome no*man.s lan$ Here stra' ogs, feeing
on &aste*piles, turn feral an atta%( rural li+esto%($ 6lies an rats aboun$ 0he sten%h of
large rotting piles affe%ts e+er'one$ ,et surprisingl', there is little offi%ial protest$ 7illage
leaers o not efen their territor' from su%h 2offi%ial3 ra+aging b' the larger
2go+ernment3 of the %it' ne)t oor, or ha+e trie an seen the futilit' of it$ When the
problem be%omes huge an begins to en%roa%h on pri+ate +illage lans, it leas to
%onfli%ts5 stone thro&ing an tire slashing of +ehi%les that bring out su%h &aste from the
%it'$ 0hen &aste lies un%olle%te &ithin the %it', an is thro&n into open gutters an
storm*&ater rains &hi%h are mostl' open se&ers be%ause of aministrati+e apath'$
The 1! "Pla#ue$% a &a'e(u) call
0his is &hat %ause the 2plague3 in Surat in September 18895 %ho(e storm*rains an
hea+' rains uring high tie in this West Coast %it' flooe rat burro&s, an the roents
%ame up an out into the population$ 7er' fe& ie, but migrant &or(ers fle the %it', an
there &ere huge e%onomi% losses for Surat an for -nia as the 1nite Kingom refuse
laning rights for our airplanes for a &hile$ -t &as a &a(e*up %all for -nia$ Soon after, a
ne& an ei%ate Muni%ipal Commissioner, S$ R$ Rao, &or(e to buil a team of
moti+ate an effi%ient %it' offi%ials an s&eepers that transforme -nia.s irtiest %it' into
its %leanest in eighteen months$ His motto &as5 2A %it' is onl' as %lean as its irtiest
areas3, so that is &here he began his &or($ Mean&hile, a%ross the %ountr', on the :ast
Coast, the filth' %it' of Cal%utta &as ;uietl' an steail' %leane up b' Commissioner
Asim Barman, &hose motto &as5 "0he best &a' to (eep streets %lean is not to irt' them
in the first pla%e3$ He use the %it'.s regular %leaning staff an their usual &heelbarro&s to
%olle%t &aste oor*to*oor an remo+e the street ustbins that &ere magnets for filth$
Pu*lic Interest Liti#ation in the Su)re+e Court
A 100*%it' Clean -nia Roa Campaign , le b' Captain <$ S$ 7elu an m'self after the
plague, highlighte man' goo e)amples li(e these, but also the enormous problem of
%ities a%ross -nia &ithout proper umpsites$ 0his e)perien%e le to m' filing of a P-=
>Publi% -nterest =itigation? @o$ WP AAAB8! in the Supreme Court, as(ing all the States an
1nion 0erritories to follo& h'gieni% &aste*management pra%ti%es$ -n 188A the Court
appointe a %ommittee of eight, in%luing four of the %ountr'.s best %it' managers, three
Central Co+ernment offi%ials an m'self, uner the Ministr' of 1rban De+elopment$ We
prepare an interim report that &as presente for is%ussion at four 1* a' &or(shops in
the north, south, east an &est of -nia, to &hi%h a total of 900 %it' offi%ials from our E00
%ities of o+er 100,000 population &ere in+ite for %omments$
Su)re+e Court Co++ittee Re)ort
0he feeba%( from these &or(shops &as in%lue in the Mar%h 1888 Report of the
Committee Constitute b' the Hon$ Supreme Court of -nia, title Solid Waste
Management in Class 1 Cities &hi%h has be%ome a &iel'*a%%epte 2bible3 of &aste*
management pra%ti%es in the %ountr'$ 0he Supreme Court ha this Report %ir%ulate to the
E00 Class 1 %ities of e+er' State an it &as &iel' enorse$ 0his great su%%ess &as
be%ause it &as a report &ritten b' %it' managers for %it' managers, not b' %onsultants or
a%aemi%s or outsie 2sub4e%t e)perts3$
2
0he 100*page report %o+ere, in 1E Chapters, not 4ust the te%hni%al aspe%ts of managing
+arious t'pes of spe%ial &astes, but also aministrati+e an institutional aspe%ts an
%apa%it' builing, management information s'stems, finan%ial, health an legal aspe%ts,
publi% a&areness, the %onstitution of a 0e%hnolog' Mission, an time limite
re%ommenations for %ities, State an Central Co+ernments on all these inter*relate
aspe%ts$ 0his paper &ill eal onl' &ith the basi% prin%iples re%ommene for &aste
management, an es%ribe some su%%essful strategies$
Waste Mana#e+ent Rules
At the same time, -nia.s Central Pollution Control Boar prepare &aste*management
rules base on this report an is%ussions &ith our Committee$ At the Court.s ire%tion,
these &ere issue b' the Co+ernment of -nia.s Ministr' of :n+ironment as the %ountr'.s
first Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2000, issue uner the
:n+ironment Prote%tion A%t 18A!$ 0his is no& a manator' blueprint for a%tion b' all
urban lo%al boies ha+ing populations of F0,000 an o+er$ Gn%e %iti/ens reali/e its
potential, this is a po&erful &eapon in the hans of the publi% to enfor%e %omplian%e,
h'gieni% &aste management, an responsible beha+iour on the part of both ele%te an
appointe %it' managers$ Ho&e+er this also puts a responsibilit' on the publi% that
generates the &aste in the first pla%e$
Waste Mana#e+ent Polic-
Broal', the report an rules re%ommen, as an ieal s%enario to be a%hie+e, the (eeping
of sour%e separate &aste until the time for ail' oorstep %olle%tion of 2&et3 foo &astes$
2Dr'3 re%'%lables are to be left to the e)isting informal se%tor$ Doorstep %olle%tion of
2&et3 foo &astes is to be one in 9*!*bu%(et %arts &hi%h are emptie ire%tl' into tru%(s,
to a+oi ouble hanling of &aste$ 0his bioegraable &aste is to be %omposte, an onl'
%ompost re4e%ts an inert >%onstru%tion? &aste is to be lan fille$
-nia.s %ities are still a long &a' from a%hie+ing this goal e+er'&here, but there is a great
effort in man' pla%es to put in pla%e one or more of these s'stems$ 6or e)ample, man'
%ities are stopping the pur%hase or repla%ement of roasie bins, an are in fa%t remo+ing
them in areas &here oorstep %olle%tion is one$
India.s /est Practices 0or Waste Mana#e+ent
-n Cal%utta, A0H of house*to*house %olle%tion has been a%hie+e in resiential areas at no
e)tra %ost to %iti/ens, using onl' e)isting Muni%ipal s&eepers sin%e 1885$ 0he' %o+er t&o
2beats3 b' mo+ing in pairs &ith a &heelbarro&$ Gne pushes the %art an blo&s a &histle at
ea%h gate at a fi)e time ail', &hile the other empties &aste*bins into it, an the'
e)%hange uties on alternate a's$ Commer%ial establishments are not %ooperating so
&ell5 onl' !0H o$ 0here is no &aste*segregation$ Waste*pi%(ers forage at the transfer*
points or lanfill$
Pri+ate groups are oing oorstep %olle%tion for pa'ment in man' %ommunities$ 0he'
%olle%t Rs 15*50 >1S I0$E0 to I1$00? per month per househol for this ser+i%e$ -t is a
s'stem that has e+ol+e spontaneousl' in man' %ities, an @CGs in at least si) South
Asian %ountries ha+e foun this to be a +er' su%%essful metho$ Where other ser+i%es are
offere, li(e night*patrolling for se%urit', or bill*pa'ment ser+i%es for po&er an &ater an
telephone, resients are &illing to pa' far more, e+en up to Rs F00 per month >1S I 9$00?$
3
Doorstep %olle%tion is most su%%essful in slums$ Cities usuall' ma(e the mista(e of
thin(ing that ri%h or upper*mile areas &ill not feel the pin%h of su%h small monthl'
%olle%tions$ Ho&e+er, the' are al&a's the most un&illing group to pa' this, so su%h
attempts often fail an muni%ipalities get is%ourage$ Slum*&ellers, negle%te
e+er'&here, unerstan an appre%iate the monetar' +alue of %leanliness an are most
&illing to %ooperate an pa' &illingl'$
0emporar' ta(e*a&a' bins &or( in e)tremel' %ro&e slums &here han%arts %annot
mo+e through the lanes$ At Mumbai.s Prem @agar slum, sta%(able plasti% bins are mae
a+ailable from A$00*10$00 am at e+er' gull' %orner an inner*lane %rossing$ 6rom 10$00*
11$00 am, these are emptie into &aiting Muni%ipal tru%(s an then sta%(e in a %entral
pla%e till ne)t morning$ @obo' mins a ustbin at their oor for 4ust F hours a a', an
the' are use in a +er' is%ipline &a'$ Resients pa' Rs 1 per hea per month, &ith a
ma)imum of Rs 5 per househol per month >1S I0$10?, to support the lo%al %leaning bo's,
&ho are pai Rs 1500 per month >1S IE0? for 9 hours. &or($ Cooperation b' slum*
&ellers &as 50H from the first month$
-n Ahmeaba, the oor*to*oor bell %arts ha+e a spe%ial frame that %an hol four to si)
F5*litre %ontainers &hi%h %an be ire%tl' emptie, &hen full, into &aiting tru%(s or umper
pla%ers, a+oiing manual hanling of &aste &hi%h &as formerl' lifte off the street an
into tru%(s$

@ashi( is a %it' &ithout ustbins, as tru%(s mo+e from one street %orner to another ire%tl'
re%ei+ing &aste from ea%h househol at fi)e times$ =oaers re%ei+e &aste bins from
resients, or fet%h them from outsie some houses &here people are a&a' at &or($ 0his is
+er' popular &ith resients an %ost effe%ti+e for the %it', but results in a lot of fuel
&astage an pollution if the tru%(s (eep their engines iling for "*10 minutes &hile &aiting
at ea%h roa %rossing$ 0his s'stem is ieal for smaller to&ns &here tra%tor*trailers %an be
use$
Surat has spotless umper pla%ers an surrounings be%ause of 2pin*point beats3, in &hi%h
s&eepers must ta(e personal responsibilit' for the %leanliness of their stret%h of roa an
an' ustbins or umper pla%ers in their stret%h$ 0hese rest on pa+e areas, slightl' higher
than the roa, an slope to&ars a rain opening nearb'1 0his s'stem &or(s onl' be%ause
of the e)treme ei%ation of Commissioner S$R$ Rao an the fine &or( ethi% he initiate$
-n almost e+er' other %it', ustbins are surroune b' a huge permanent area of filth$
Waste separation at sour%e is +ital but iffi%ult1 Bangalore has opte for this as its offi%ial
%it' poli%'$ 0he entire s&eeper for%e has been traine an suffi%ient 9*bu%(et han%arts
ha+e been onate b' the %orporate se%tor to %o+er 50H of the %it' &hi%h is ser+e b' the
%it'.s o&n s&eepers$ @e& %ontra%ts for the remaining 50H of the %it' no& spe%if'
oorstep %olle%tion of sour%e*separate &astes as part of the %leaning an transport
%ontra%ts$ Cooperation has been F0H in the first 'ear$ Gne ra&ba%( is that %it' s&eepers
(eep the %lean saleable re%'%lables for themsel+es, lea+ing less for traitional rag pi%(ers$
Also, resients seeing their sour%e*separate 2r'3 an 2&et3 &aste go from the han%arts
into the same tru%( &oner if their efforts are &orth it an get is%ourage$
Wee(l' oorstep %olle%tion of r' &astes is one in Ahmeaba b' S:WA.s rag*pi%(er
%ooperati+e, &hi%h has a hotline to ensure pun%tual %olle%tion an sol+e absenteeism an
4
%rises$ @o mone' is pai or as(e for$ 0he &aste*pi%(ers get their earnings from the
higher*+alue %lean an unmi)e &aste$
Doorstep %olle%tion of both r' an &et &astes is one for a fee at Pune, b' a 5,000
member rag pi%(ers. union$ 0he' (eep the r' &aste for sale an ump the &et &aste into
muni%ipal bins or into a nearb' %omposting site if a+ailable$ 0he rag pi%(ers o not seem
intereste in learning %omposting s(ills an tr'ing out an aitional sour%e of in%ome$
Coorg Distri%t &as %leane up b' ha+ing all s%hool%hilren bring r' re%'%lable &astes
&ee(l' from home to s%hool, &here an @CG arrange for its pur%hase b' a &aste*bu'er
+isiting regularl' e+er' &ee($ 6uns %olle%te &ere use for e%o*%lub a%ti+ities for the
%lasses$
Pu*lic Partici)ation and Coo)eration
0he Coorg e)periment pro+e that mothers &ill o for their %hilren &hat the' &ill not o
for rag pi%(ers or the en+ironment5 (eep r' &astes separate for their (is to ta(e to
s%hool$ 1ner the e)isting program for S1PW >So%iall' 1seful an Prou%ti+e Wor(?,
re;uire in all s%hools toa' an for &hi%h mar(s are gi+en, all %hilren at the start of term
shoul be re;uire to prepare an hang at home a prett' bag for %olle%ting r' &aste, an
bring it to a s%hool e)hibition$ =o%al @CGs %an help arrange for &aste*bu'ers to regularl'
+isit the s%hools to %olle%t this &aste$ 0hin plasti% bags must be brought to s%hool, for
onation to the lo%al 4ail et%$ for &ea+ing but not for sale, so that parents o not go out an
bu' or eman more plasti% bags than re;uire$
Pimpri*Chin%h&a Muni%ipal Corporation has an effe%ti+e lo&*%ost Publi% A&areness
Campaign$ :+er' letter or bill going out of the Muni%ipalit' has one of se+eral rubber
stampe messages on it, li(e 2Do not litter3, 21se the bell*%art3, 2Keep r' &astes separate
from foo &astes3 et%$ Chilren in Muni%ipal s%hools ha+e to get their parents to sign not
4ust the monthl' mar(*sheet but a %he%(list of similar items also, e+er' month$ -t is an
effe%ti+e reminer$
Cal%utta has istribute fi+e la(h boo(mar(s to all s%hool%hilren of Stanar ! an
up&ar$ Gn the boo(mar(s is a 'ear F000 %alenar an a brief %i+i% message on separating
r' an &et &aste, using bell %arts, not littering et%$
Spotless streets are seen in Chanigarh, &here resients ta(e prie in personall' s&eeping
an &ashing their half of the roa in front of their homes, e+er' morning$ 0here is
personal responsibilit' b' ea%h propert' o&ner for the %leanliness of the pa+ement an
roa in front of their properties$
-t is &orth framing b'*la&s that re;uire ea%h an e+er' groun floor %ommer%ial
establishment to (eep its frontage %lean up to an in%luing the %urbsie rains1 0his &ill
also %urb unauthori/e pa+ement en%roa%hments that (eep returning after %learing$
2andlin# o0 S)ecial Wastes
Cal%utta has a separate %harge of Rs F0 per han%art of ebris or of garen &aste to be
%olle%te from househols$ 0he han%arts %ir%ulate after the regular morning oor*to*oor
roun, an the %it' has separatel' esignate pla%es for isposal of their %ontents$
Street 3ood Waste Mana#e+ent
5
Surat ensures that e+er' small shop has a &astebas(et an uses it, an that e+er' mobile
foo %art has a shelf, bas(et or %an+as slung beneath it to %olle%t the &astes it generates$
Cart o&ners must ta(e their &aste out of the area ail' to a esignate spot$
0ener %o%onut shells are %olle%te in Bangalore in %'%le ri%(sha&s >&hen not in use for
s%hool %hilren?, an eli+ere to Poli%e Juarters to be rie for heating &ater$ Rs 10 per
a' is %olle%te from the %o%onut*+enor as &ell as the poli%e families$
Sugar%ane 4ui%e &aste, bagasse, is pur%hase on Satura's b' the poorest, for heating
Suna' bath &ater$ 0he stalls %an be li%ense b' the Muni%ipalit' if o&ners agree
to store their bagasse &ithin their &ooen bo)*stans until %olle%te b' a separate
&aste*%olle%tion ser+i%e for transport to a paper re%'%ler or to slums neeing fuel$
0he li%ense fee shoul also %o+er the %ost of &aste*%olle%tion$

2otel 3ood Waste
-n Bangalore an parts of Mumbai, pig farmers pa' nominal or e+en signifi%ant sums to
hotels for the right to %olle%t their foo &astes$ @on*+egetarian foo &aste is preferre$
0ea lea+es, %offee grouns an %itrus peels shoul be (ept out of &aste intene for pigs,
to get better pri%es for the &aste$
At 7i4a'a&aa, lefto+er hotel foo goes to a %harit' night shelter1 0his helps to bring in
street %hilren for baths an a little eu%ation$ 0&i%e ail', three %ontainers %ontaining
mi)e +egetable lefto+ers, mi)e ri%e an mi)e li;uis >al, rasam, sambhar? are pi%(e
up in a push%art b' one of the %hilren an (ept in a frige until the ne)t mealtime$
Chilren pa' Rs 1 per meal for goo nutrition$ -n Delhi, 1F fi+e star hotels are
parti%ipating in a highl' organi/e +ersion of the same iea5 &aste foo for the nee', e$g$
in orphanages$
Mar'et Waste
-n Cal%utta, e+er' tru%( bringing prou%e into the mar(et area has to pa' a %lean up fee$ -t
is %olle%te from the ri+ersBo&ners as the' &ait in a ;ueue to enter the mar(et$ 0ru%(s
must unloa goos in the mar(et an also bring out an' stra&, bas(ets, bo)es an
pa%(aging to be put in &aiting tra%tor*trailers at the e)it$ Gnl' %onsumable prou%e is left
behin for sale$
Stall to stall &aste %olle%tion (eeps Pune mar(ets %lean$ :+er' stall o&ner must (eep a
small bas(et han' for amage fruit or +egetables or onion peels et%$ Hourl', a s&eeper
&ith a han%art mo+es along the stall lanes, empt'ing the little &aste %olle%tion bas(ets
into it an ta(ing it to a large %ontainer outsie, &hi%h %an be au%tione to lo%al goat
breeers or airies$ Dr' pa%(aging &aste is not allo&e to be put into the same
&astebas(ets$ -t is %olle%te separatel', on%e a a'$
Co++ercial Street Waste
0his is usuall' pri+atel' manage$ 6or e)ample, the Har&are Mer%hants. Asso%iation at
Bangalore pa's Karuna, an @CG of &omen &aste*pi%(ers B slum*&ellers, an annual fee
>re%o+ere from its members? for (eeping their bus' Coo&n Street litter free all a'$
Streets are s&ept t&i%e ail', " a's a &ee($
6
Gffi%es shoul not mi) %arbon paper &ith their other paper &aste1 Separate %arbon paper
%olle%tors re%'%le this for fine %arbon po&er in man' %ities$ Waste pi%(ers no& litter
large areas of the %it', sorting %arbon out of the paper &aste$
Decentrali4ed Co+)ostin#
De%entrali/e %omposting not onl' a%hie+es &aste minimi/ation, but also sa+es
enormousl' on transportation %osts for %ities, &hi%h are mostl' ban(rupt an epen on
State Co+ernment grants to sur+i+e$ -t is the most %ost*effe%ti+e an nuisan%e*free metho
of hanling &aste$
@eighbourhoo %omposting of segregate &et &astes is one in the mile in%ome <oshi
=ane in Mumbai$ Dustbins ha+e been remo+e, the street line &ith flo&er pots, an a
%ouple of hanfuls of +egetarian foo &aste from all of the fe& apartments along the lane
are ae to ea%h pot ail'$ Gne %an return to the first pot in 15*E0 a's$ 0his has ha the
une)pe%te benefit of pre+enting littering an open efe%ation in their beautifie lane$ 0he
r' &aste is %olle%te separatel' an ta(en a&a' b' pri+atel' emplo'e &omen &ho s&eep
the apartment stairs an par(ing lots$
Composting is one on site at 900 housing so%ieties an apartment %omple)es in Mumbai
>Bomba'?, helpe b' a spe%ial Muni%ipal offi%er &ho is highl' ei%ate to promoting an
supporting these pri+ate initiati+es, &hi%h Bomba' %alls A=M or A+an%e =o%al
Management$ 0his has reu%e &astes to 10H of former le+els$ Pune is setting targets for
ea%h Konal Gffi%e to set up fi+e ne& e%entrali/e %omposting initiati+es ea%h month, an
the Commissioner monitors progress monthl'$ Ho&e+er, ma(ing %ompost is usuall' far
easier than fining bu'ers for it$ 0he %it' must help b' bu'ing the %ompost from su%h
e%entrali/e efforts an using it in its o&n par(s an garens1
0he problem of fining bu'ers for %ompost has been %reati+el' sol+e b' a Pune la'$ Her
soil free terra%e garen using onl' garbage, has inspire thousans of other families$ 0he
4o' of gro&ing things, b' aing househol foo &astes into pots that ne+er o+erflo&, an
har+esting fresh flo&ers, fruit an +egetables, has to be seen to be belie+e$ 0here is a
eep spiritual nee in %it'*&ellers for gro&ing plants an &or(ing &ith soil, that %an be a
po&erful moti+ating for%e for su%h &aste minimi/ation$ :+en if no profit is mae from
sale of %ompost, it is &orth promoting for its %ost sa+ings to the %it'$ Composting of 0ihar
<ail &aste in Delhi sa+e the institution Rs 1$! million in garbage %learan%e %osts an
ae Rs 0$A million to the prisoners. &elfare fun through %ompost sales$ Another 4ail
an a /oo in Bomba' ha+e %arrie out a similar initiati+e$
Cit' &aste*minimi/ation regulations shoul insist that institutional &aste must be
%omposte on site at large hospitals, %olleges, %lubs, hostels, &here+er there is room$ :lite
lu)ur' spa%es ma(e urban lan s%ar%e an unafforable for housing the poorest, so the'
must ta(e on some so%ial responsibilit' to en4o' this pri+ilege$
Coir pith from %o%onut fibre is +er' effe%ti+e for lo& %apital an lo& operating %ost
%omposting1 At Kuilapal'am near Auro+ille, ra& garbage is pur%hase in %artloas from
the Poni%herr' garbage ump an pile in F0ft ) F0ft ) E ft high heaps, in a tamarin
gro+e near the +illage huts$ 0hese heaps are %o+ere &ith a 15 %m la'er of %oir pith
pur%hase from %o%onut fibre rope ma(ers$ =eft unisturbe for months till the ne)t
7
planting season, the %oir ust forms an insulating blan(et &hi%h (eeps in heat, moisture
an oor, an (eeps out flies an animals$ 0his metho %an be aopte &here+er %oir pith
is a+ailable, but &ell segregate organi% &aste is a must$ 0his metho %annot be use for
mi)e &astes %ontaining plasti% or to)i% items li(e tor%h %ells, button %ells, inse%t spra'
%ans et%$ 0hese &ill ruin the soil &hen %ompost %ontaining su%h %ontaminants is use$
-no%ulating the &aste &ith %omposting bio*%ulture before %o+ering it &ith %oir pith &ill
a%%elerate e%omposition to a 50 a' %'%le re;uiring a +er' small area, an %hain lin(
fen%ing is ne%essar' to (eep ogs a&a' from bones in fresh garbage$
At Aligarh an H'eraba, pri+ate meatpa%(ing firms are su%%essfull' %omposting
slaughterhouse &astes$ -n Cal%utta, %hrome free tanner' fleshings are mae into %ompost
&hi%h is in high eman b' tea garens$ A ne& plant on a E*a%re site at the Cal%utta
isposal 'ar &ill be operational in ! months$
Waste Saniti4in#
7as%o a Cama %it' in Coa ha no &aste*pro%essing site but effe%ti+el' saniti/e its open
umps an mae them entirel' nuisan%e*free$ Saniti/ing of large %olle%tion*points or
transfer*points sa+es on transport %osts$ During a month*long e)periment in Delhi,
garbage &as spra'e t&i%e ail' &ith %ompost*promoting bio*%ultures an left
un%leare$ At the en, the stabili/e oor*free garbage &as %arte a&a' in 4ust !
tru%(s, %ompare to the E0 re;uire for ail' %learan%e ea%h month$ Resients &ere
happ' &ith results$
2os)ital Waste Mana#e+ent
0his is a spe%iali/e sub4e%t too +ast to be %o+ere here$ -nia passe Biomei%al Waste
>Management L Hanling? Rules 188A &hi%h ha+e timetables for %omplian%e that are
for%ing hospitals to aress this issue$ Basi%all', the se%ret of su%%ess is not to mi)
ifferent &astes$ 6oo &aste from patient an nurses. %anteens %an be %omposte, plasti%s
auto%la+e an shree, an 2sharps3 li(e neeles an glass %olle%te separatel' an
burie$ Gnl' infe%tious &aste an human bo' parts re;uire in%ineration, in t&in*%hamber
in%inerators to ensure that all outgoing flue gases are e)pose to temperatures abo+e
1,100
o
C$
Co+)ostin# as Waste(Processin# Polic-
8
=arge*s%ale %omposting has be%ome possible in -nia b' aopting the prin%iple of first
%omposting the mi)e &aste, as re%ei+e, b' arranging it in aerobi% &in*ro&s an
spra'ing it &ith %omposting bio*%ultures$ 0he heap of ra& garbage loses oor an
rapil' buils up heat$ 0emperatures of 55*"0
o
C are a+isable, to (ill germs an &ee
sees an e+aporate the moisture, so that the heaps are e+entuall' reu%e to 50*!0H
of their original +olume an are suffi%ientl' free*flo&ing an earth' to be sie+e for
remo+ing un&ante items$ Care must be ta(en to &ater the heaps fre;uentl' so that
temperatures o not rise to the e)tent that the heaps %at%h fire an prou%e onl' smo(e
an ashes$ Coo 'ar management is +ital an lea%hate shoul be absent or minimal$
-n the rain' season, an' lea%hate %an be %olle%te an re*%ir%ulate onto the top of the
&inro&s as a ri%h mi%robial soup$ -ts moisture e+aporates sin%e the heaps are hot in
all seasons, an its solis a to the %ompost$
After E*5 repeate turnings of the &inro& heaps >&ith a front*en*loaer or e)%a+ator?
o+er a perio of 95*!0 a's, the soil*li(e material is rea' for sie+ing >e)%ept in the
monsoon, unless %o+ere to (eep it free*flo&ing?$ 0he sie+e %ompost %an be supplie
loose >bagging is e)pensi+e an ne%essar' onl' for bran image? for use in agri%ulture,
horti%ulture, forestr', an re*+egetation of mining o+erburen an re%lamation of saline
soils$
Compost is not a substitute for %hemi%al fertili/ers$ 0he t&o nee to be use together, for
-ntegrate Plant @utrient Management$ 0he main a+antage of 2%it' %ompost3 is not so
mu%h the 1*1*1H @*P*K it %ontains, as the mi%ronutrients an ri%h mi%robial %ontent that
issol+e the minerals in soil for upta(e b' plants an ma(e the root s'stems health' an
pest resistant$ Also, &hen urea alone is use, onl' F0H is absorbe b' plants an A0H
runs into the soil to %ause nitrate pollution of &ells an groun&ater$ Compost a%ts as a
sponge an ma(es all of the urea an s'ntheti% fertili/ers a+ailable for use b' %rops$
Without organi% manures, soils lose their fertilit' an be%ome barren in a generation$ -n
%ombination, %hemi%al fertili/ers an organi% manures gi+e F$5 times the 'iels of either
one alone, &ithout e%lining 'iels$ 0he main reason the Supreme Court Committee
re%ommene %omposting of bioegraable &aste as the metho of %hoi%e for pro%essing
%it' &aste &as not 4ust to sa+e lanfill area, but to return to the soil sustainabilit' that %ities
ta(e a&a' from it
Lar#e(Scale Co+)ost Plants
9
Sin%e %hanging publi% habits an promoting househol &aste*management is so time*
%onsuming an iffi%ult, large %entrali/e %ompost plants are %urrentl' the most*
preferre option for muni%ipalities tr'ing to %ompl' &ith the ealines an %onitions
of the Waste Management Rules$ G+er F0 su%h plants are operating or in the pipeline$
Carbage is supplie free to a muni%ipal or state site lease out at nominal rates for E0
'ears to a pri+ate %ompost operator &ho buils, o&ns an operates it as a BGG0 plant$
0he problem &ith this plan is lo%al resistan%e b' neighbours fearing loss of propert'
+alues$ 0his is less so &hen the plant is %onstru%te b' the %it' an gi+en out on
operating %ontra%t for a fee base on sales +alue of %ompost prou%e$ Management
b' the muni%ipalit' or go+ernment boies has pro+e highl' unsatisfa%tor', &ith the
%ompost plants egenerating to smo(ing open umps as before$
With either of these arrangements, the return on in+estment is slo&, ranging from "*10
'ears, an operators are fining it iffi%ult to mar(et their %ompost &ithout
en%ouragement from the State Agri%ulture Department, &hi%h nees to populari/e its
use through emonstration plots an fiel trials$
Waste to Ener#- O)tions
Biomethanation of &aste is a%%eptable be%ause it is not a 2burn3 te%hnolog' that %an
generate eal' io)ins that pollute soil, &ater an air$ Ho&e+er, be%ause it is so iffi%ult
to shre mi)e muni%ipal &aste an the pro%ess re;uires so mu%h energ', it is more
suitable for se&age an possibl' for large %anteens or %on+ention %enters &ith reasonabl'
uniform foo*&aste streams$
-n%ineration of Muni%ipal Wastes has been a isastrous failure in e+eloping %ountr' %ities
an shoul be resiste at all %osts$ 0here are po&erful lobbies tr'ing to mar(et this
isposal s'stem +ia ai agen%ies an %onsultants, be%ause %ompl'ing &ith %lean*air la&s is
ma(ing them prohibiti+el' %ostl' an the' are being banne or phase out in man' pla%es$
-n -nia, for instan%e, the %apital %ost for a %ompost plant of 100 tons a a' of &aste is Rs
F0 million +ersus Rs 1E0*1!0 million for a &aste to energ' plant$ 0he generate ele%tri%it'
is also not e%onomi%all' feasible as the %apital %ost in+estment for a one mega&att plant
for thermal or h'ro po&er is Rs 90*!0 million, %ompare to Rs 190*150 million for a
muni%ipal &aste to energ' installation$
Another more important reason for totall' refusing this option is that e+eloping %ountr'
&aste >&here peas are eaten fresh an not from pa%(ages? has a +er' high moisture %ontent$
More energ' is spent in remo+ing this &ater than %an be got from burning the &aste$ Gur
%alorifi% +alue is +er' lo&$ 0o raise this %alori% +alue, &e &oul ha+e to epri+e thousans
of poor &aste pi%(ers the right to remo+e %ombustible re%'%lables from the &aste stream$
-n 0imarpur at Delhi, a Rs 91*%rore &aste in%ineration plant ran for 4ust si) a's before
being shut o&n fore+er be%ause the ust in the garbage &as 4amming an &earing out the
%on+e'or s%re&s$ @o&, more than thirt' 'ears later, the %it' has been unable e+en to gi+e
a&a' the plant free to someone to operate it$
Encoura#e Waste Rec-clin#
Re%'%ling of 2r'3 &astes pro+ies emplo'ment to about 1*FH of a large %it'.s population,
often the poorest &omen an %hilren$ 0he street &aste pi%(ers an those on the open
10
umps are usuall' lo'al to a parti%ular &aste bu'er &ho pro+ies 10*F0 of them &ith
sorting spa%e an prote%tion from poli%e harassment$ 0heir lo'alt' is bought b' loans, at
rates &hi%h ma(e pa'ba%( long an aruous$ -n large %ities, there are F*E tiers of &aste
bu'ers, all +er' &ell organi/e an spe%iali/ing in spe%ifi% &astes$ Some, in Bomba',
ha+e (ept a pa' phone near their shop so that members of the publi% %an %all them up an
as( for someone to %olle%t bul(' &astes$ Waste pi%(ing an traing is far less %ommon in
smaller %ities, &hi%h in fa%t suffer from a la%( of re%'%ling fa%ilities in their +i%init'$
0here is a great nee for offi%ial support to this unappre%iate a%ti+it' that sa+es at least
10*15H in transportation %osts ail' to the %it', aing up to millions of rupees a 'ear$
Se+eral poli%ies ha+e pro+e helpful5 starting a ialogue to fin out the nees of this se%tor,
issuing -D bages to street &aste pi%(ers &ho esire them >through @CGs or poli%e, to
pre+ent harassment?, pro+iing them &ith sorting an storage spa%e in a lo& area su%h as
belo& a fl'o+er, an pro+iing a oorstep pi%(up ser+i%e for post sorting re4e%ts to be
ta(en a&a' from slum houses or &aste*bu'er.s 'ars, so that these o not en up %logging
the storm*rains$
At the ma%ro*le+el, it is &orth mapping, &ithin the State or e+en nationall', the lo%ation of
ma4or re%'%lers of spe%ifi% &astes an en%ouraging the filling of per%ei+e gaps$ Poli%ies
are neee to help this &aste reu%ing an partiall' pollution abating inustr' to be%ome
legitimate, through esignate re%'%ling e%o*par(s, %on%essional po&er rates an lo& or no
sales ta)es$ 7illage inustr' agen%ies shoul help ientif' or e+elop %lean, lo& %ost
re%'%ling te%hnologies$ Ban(s shoul be en%ourage, or at least permitte, to a+an%e
loans against ra&*material sto%(s$ 0he' &oul li(e to be able to ha+e their materials
insure against fire li(e an'one else$ -nia has man' @CGs &or(ing to impro+e their lot
at the lo&est le+els but not at these poli%' le+els$
An -nian is patenting a su%%essful &a' to introu%e shree &aste plasti% film into
bitumen for roa impro+ement$ 0he impro+e roa ;ualities of pol'mer*moifie bitumen
are &ell (no&n$ 1sing &aste %arr' bags &oul in%rease the pri%e of su%h &aste an ma(e
their %olle%tion +iable for &aste pi%(ers$ =aborator' results are en%ouraging, but months
ha+e been &aste in tr'ing to get permission to offi%iall' la' a test stret%h at no e)tra %ost$
-t &ill be a %ouple of 'ears before high&a' spe%ifi%ations &ill in%lue the use of shree
film or ban(s get aroun to finan%ing this re+olutionar' iea$ Su%h offi%ial apath'
is%ourages inno+ation in the re%'%ling fiel, an funing an ai agen%ies are so tie
o&n b' their o&n ate guielines for lening that the' too are useless as a sour%e of
+enture %apital for ta(ing for&ar an fiel*testing su%h ne& an progressi+e ieas$
Conclusion
1nre%'%le &aste ;uantities in e+eloping %ountries are in%reasing e)ponentiall'$ Calling a
material 2re%'%lable3 is meaningless unless re%'%ling is a%tuall' one1 0hin plasti% bags
an P:0 bottles of mineral &ater an soft rin(s %log -nia.s rains an se&ers$ -t also
%auses monsoon flooing, littering of the peri*urban lans%ape, an affe%ts &ater
per%olation an see germination$ 0etrapa(s are mae into harboar in o/ens of
%ountries, but not in -nia$ St'rofoam %ontinues to be use for shipping goos though it is
banne else&here$ @o &orl %lass re%'%ling te%hnolog' has 'et %ome to -nia be%ause it
still has no la&s ena%te to re;uire this$ -t is a moral trage' that in most e+eloping
11
%ountries, man' multi*national %orporations use %heap an irt' pra%ti%es that their home
%ountries stoppe tolerating o+er a e%ae ago$ Consumers pa' for su%h %orporate profits
through %it' ta)es for %leaning up the ne& one*time use &astes, or in health %osts, filth or
e%o*amage$
Hen%e, there is urgent nee for ne& legislation an mar(et strategies that promote prou%t
ste&arship, prou%er responsibilit' an &aste minimi/ation$ 0his is the ne)t battle to be
fought in -nia$ Both :urope an @orth Ameri%a ha+e numerous e)amples of su%h
legislation >see &&&$ra'mon$%om? that e+eloping %ountries %an stu' an aopt before
it is too late$ A simple solution is to restri%t entr' of ne& inustries to the %ountr' onl' to
those &ho bring in the same re%'%ling an prou%t life*%'%le poli%ies an stanars that are
%omplie &ith in the West$
12