Current status of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) in India

Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) is a significant challenge in India, given the country's rapidly growing population and urbanization. While there have been some efforts to improve waste management practices, there is still a long way to go.

As of 2021, India generates around 277 million tonnes of municipal solid waste per year, and only about 22-28% of it is processed or treated. The rest of the waste ends up in landfills, open dumping sites, or littered on streets and public spaces, causing severe health and environmental hazards.

The Government of India launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) in 2014 to address the issue of MSWM, and to achieve 100% scientific and hygienic waste management by October 2019. However, the progress toward this goal has been slow, and many challenges remain.

One of the primary challenges is the lack of adequate infrastructure and resources for waste management, especially in smaller towns and rural areas. The existing infrastructure, including waste collection and transportation, treatment, and disposal facilities, is often inadequate and outdated.

Another major challenge is the lack of public awareness and participation in waste management. Many people are not aware of the importance of proper waste disposal, and some continue to litter and dump waste in public spaces.

There have been some positive developments in recent years, such as the implementation of solid waste management rules in 2016, which mandate waste segregation, processing, and disposal, and the promotion of decentralized waste management systems like composting and bio-methanation. Additionally, some cities have initiated public-private partnerships and innovative models for waste management, such as waste-to-energy projects and citizen engagement programs.

Overall, while there have been some efforts to improve MSWM in India, there is still a long way to go in terms of infrastructure, resources, public awareness, and implementation.

Comments

CHALLENGES RELATED TO EPR - Rekart

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is the responsibility of every producer, importer, and brand owner. This is in order to channelize waste to an authorized dismantler/recycler to ensure proper handling and disposal of such waste. Extended Producer Responsibility may comprise of implementation of the take-back system, setting up of collection centers, or both of these. Along with having agreed arrangements with authorized dismantlers or recyclers either individually or collectively through a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) . Difficulty in understanding guidelines : The first guidelines related to EPR in India came in as early as 2016 but still until 2020 most companies were not able to fulfill their ERP targets due to lack of understanding and the complete responsibility of successful ERP had been shifted on the shoulders of industry. Many industries that did fall under the compliance category didn't recognize it at all for example the Pharmaceutical ...

What’s really happening in india’s Li-on battery recycling space?

In a time when countries worldwide are committed to achieving their respective net zero emissions targets, the state of the sustainable electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem seems to be stagnant. Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge the urgency felt by many nations to address this issue once and for all. In August of last year, the Indian government introduced the Battery Waste Management Rules , 2022, aiming to promote environmentally friendly management of waste batteries across various industries, including EVs. These new regulations hold the different stakeholders in the EV ecosystem accountable for recycling the batteries. Under the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), battery producers and importers are now responsible for collecting and recycling/refurbishing waste batteries, as well as utilizing recovered materials for the production of new batteries. However, industry experts express uncertainty about the extent to which these initiative...

Waste-to-energy: Converting waste into energy through various technologies such as incineration, gas.

Yes, waste-to-energy is a process of generating energy from waste. The basic idea behind waste-to-energy is to convert non-recyclable waste materials into usable energy forms like heat, electricity, and fuel. There are several technologies used for waste-to-energy, including incineration, gasification, and anaerobic digestion. Incineration involves burning the waste at high temperatures to convert it into ash, flue gas, and heat. The heat generated from incineration can be used to produce electricity, steam, or hot water. Gasification is a process of converting solid waste into a gas by using high temperatures and limited oxygen. The gas produced can be used to generate electricity or as a fuel. Anaerobic digestion is a biological process that uses microorganisms to break down organic waste and produce biogas, which can be used for electricity or fuel. However, it’s worth noting that waste-to-energy has environmental concerns such as air pollution, toxic ash, and greenhouse gas e...

Rekart

Search This Blog