Solid Waste

Management in India
Challenges and Changes

Farhan Danish
What is solid waste?

Solid waste can be any Solid waste is produced Effective solid waste
material which is by households, management includes
discarded after human or commercial measures
animal activity. establishments, taken to reduce waste,
industries and segregation, storage,
agricultural activities transportation and its
disposal.
History and current scenario in India

India is a vast country There has been a This rise is a key factor
housing the world’s significant rise in the for the increase in solid
second largest number of people in waste generation.
population of 1.2 billion Indian cities with an
people. addition of 181 million Estimated 100,000 MT of
people in the decade solid waste was
Contributing to 17.5% of 2001-2011. produced in the year
the world’s population. 2000. This is expected to
(Census, 2011) grow annually by 1.3%
(De & Debnath, 2016).
Challenges
Urbanization & Segregation & Transportation &
Legislation Collection Disposal

● Rapid urbanization ● 78.3% of ● High transportation

has caused strain on households do not costs
existing waste ● Labor intensive
participate in waste
disposal activity
segregation.
infrastructure. ● Routinely changing
● The Environment ● Lack of awareness demands from labor
protection Act of 1986 ● Lack of organizations
enabled only infrastructure ● Open dumping
municipal ● Varied collection practice
corporations to deal system across ● Overflowing landfills
with solid waste
different cities
management.
Effects
Environment
Groundwater contamination
Soil contamination
Open dumping into water
bodies have resulted in
depletion of their dissolved
oxygen and has rendered
them toxic. Example -
Bellandur Lake.
Health Hazards
● Uncontrolled burning ● These open dumping
of wastes has led to sites are potential fire
health hazards hazards.
● Exposure to ● Gases emitted are
carcinogens and poisonous and toxic
teratogens (dioxins)
(Shekdar, 2009).
● Landfills and open
dumping create
breeding grounds for
pathogenic vectors.
LAKE ON FIRE?
Illegal dumping of garbage and debris near the lake, along with unchecked
flow of waste, toxic chemicals and untreated sewage into the lake has led to
production of toxic froth.
 FOCUS ON SOURCE
REDUCTION

Change is Awareness programs that highlight

available resources and the importance
needed of segregation at source to the citizens.
Strict policy and law that penalizes
households and businesses for not
engaging in waste segregation
CHARACTERIZATION
OF WASTE
CHARACTERIZE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
WASTES AT COLLECTION POINTS AS
WELL AS DISPOSAL SITES
INVESTMENT IN TECHNOLOGY
RECYCLING TECHNOLOGY
BIO-METHANE PLANTS
THERMAL TREATMENT(PYROLYSIS, GASIFICATION,
INCINERATION)
These options help reduce the workload of existing
infrastructure as well as provide options for economic
gain due to the by-products produced (METHANE)
 PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

PROMOTES INNOVATION
ENGAGES COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
REDUCES CONSTRAINT ON INFRASTRUCTURE
PROVIDES ECONOMIC GAIN AND OPPORTUNITY
 References
1. Ahmed, S. A., & Ali, M. (2004). Partnerships for solid waste management in developing countries: linking theories

to realities. Habitat International, 28(3), 467–479. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0197-3975(03)00044-4

2. Ambulkar, A. R., & Shekdar, A. V. (2004). Prospects of biomethanation technology in the Indian context: a

pragmatic approach. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 40(2), 111–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-3449(03)00037-5

3. Census of India Website : Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. (n.d.). Retrieved May 13,

2018, from http://censusindia.gov.in/

4. De, S., & Debnath, B. (2016). Prevalence of Health Hazards Associated with Solid Waste Disposal- A Case Study

of Kolkata, India. Procedia Environmental Sciences, 35, 201–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proenv.2016.07.081

5. Goddard, H. C. (1995). The benefits and costs of alternative solid waste management policies. Resources,

Conservation and Recycling, 13(3), 183–213. https://doi.org/10.1016/0921-3449(94)00021-V

THANK YOU!