Indian cities have shown remarkable progress in waste management in the past decade. Programmes that have played a key role in this achievement are: Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), a flagship programme initiated in 2014 to eliminate open defecation and improve the sanitation system, and Swachh Survekshan, an assessment tool to ensure sustainability in these development goals by urban local bodies (ULBs). The programmes have shifted the focus of waste management from just “visual cleanliness” to “waste to wealth”, yet Indian cities continue to be behind the pollution curve. It is important that the new government relearns the art and science of waste management.
No false solution
On the face of it, waste to wealth seems to be a win-win situation for cities drowning in piles of refuse. For instance, biodegradable matter in municipal solid waste can be treated to produce biogas or compost, yet India does not have a single waste-to-energy plant that is financially viable and environmentally sustainable. One reason for this paradox is that cities still use mixed waste as feedstock. Unsegregated waste contains inert and hazardous materials and has low calorific value, which makes the plants polluting and unviable.
Similarly, when unsegregated, the recyclable waste, such as plastic, paper and metal, gets soiled and contaminated by the organic waste. This diminishes its market value. To recover wealth from waste, the government needs to adopt these measures.
Invest in behaviour change: Since waste management is a shared responsibility between ULBs and citizens, policy measures should be introduced to “invest” in behavioural changes to promote segregation at source and composting at home. The instrument must have a mechanism to monetise the gains from such investment.
Use municipal by-law as legal instrument: The Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992, empowers ULBs to address local challenges through by-laws and use them for enforcement. A study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Delhi, in 37 cities shows that despite clear provisions in the law, not all of them have been able to enforce source segregation. This could be because the cities do not have adequate infrastructure to treat or process waste.
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Prioritise treatment
An analysis of the latest 2021 report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) shows cities collect 95 per cent of the waste, but only 50 per cent of it is treated. The remaining is dumped in landfills or elsewhere without treatment or processing. This indicates a business ecosystem around waste cannot be created unless the waste is collected and transported separately. The government must do the following to meet the challenge:
Redesign concession agreement: Contractors are responsible for collection, transportation and disposal of waste in half of the cities. They receive payment from ULBs on the basis of mixed waste collected. A national policy on sustainable public procurement must be introduced to pay the concessionaires as per the quantum of segregated or treated waste.
Decentralistion is key: Collection and transportation of mixed waste to landfills consume 40 to 60 per cent of the municipal budget. A decentralised approach must be followed to treat source-segregated waste in a local facility. This would substantially reduce transportation cost and divert waste from the landfill. The 114 ULBs of Odisha are implementing this decentralised approach.
Rein in bulk waste generators: Estimates show bulk waste generators like housing societies and industries are responsible for 30 per cent of the garbage generated. The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, require them to manage biodegradable waste within their premises. But the CSE study has found bulk generators flouting the rules. CSE estimates show the rules, if strictly enforced, can reduce cities’ waste management burden by 40 per cent.
Rope in informal sector: The role of the informal sector is crucial in waste management. Recognising this, the Pune Municipal Corporation has signed an agreement with 4,500 informal waste-pickers, who formed a cooperative, for door-to-door collection of waste. The corporation does not pay them salary, but allows them to charge households for waste collection and sell the recyclable waste. This approach has guaranteed segregation and brought down the cost of collection by 45 per cent. Such measures must be replicated across India.
Discourage dumping
Waste management is an expensive operation. The cost of waste collection and transportation varies from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 per tonne. It is even higher in hilly areas. Therefore, the following measures can be followed to disincentivise dumping.
Impose landfill tax: India has lost 10,000 ha to garbage dumps. To prevent fresh waste from reaching dump sites, landfills should be taken away from ULBs and allotted to private agencies through bidding. A tax must be levied on the concessionaire or ULB, as per the quantum of waste brought to the landfill. Landfill tax has helped several countries reduce the waste being dumped.
Ban biodegradable, combustible waste dumping: As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, only inert material like road sweeps and small quantity of construction and demolition waste are allowed to be dumped in landfills as there is no technology for their reuse. Fractions that create problems are biodegradable waste that rots and emits greenhouse gases, and combustible waste that creates havoc in case of fire. Combustible waste can also be used for energy recovery. A legal ban on dumping biodegradable and combustible waste is needed. Combined with landfill tax, this ban will disincentivise dumping and compel ULBs to ensure wealth is recovered from waste.
This was first published in the 1-15 June, 2024 print edition of Down To Earth
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