I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing away things we could use. – Mother Teresa
Even if the figues of Press Information Bureau are to be believed, India generates 62 million tonnes of waste (mixed waste containing both recyclable and non-recyclable waste) every year, with an average annual growth rate of 4% (PIB 2016). The generated waste can be divided into three major categories: Organic (all kinds of biodegradable waste), dry (or recyclable waste) and biomedical (or sanitary and hazardous waste). Inorganic waste is a type of waste that does not contain organic compounds. This waste is generally very difficult to decompose by microorganisms. Glass, aluminum cans, dust, and metal are some examples of inorganic waste. Inorganic waste remains free from decay, with more than 500 years needed being common for effective decomposition, therefore disposal can be challenging. Reducing consumption, reusing, and recycling are possible solutions for coping with this type of waste. Organic or inorganic waste, with each category including both hazardous and non‐hazardous waste. Organic wastes are currently destroyed with very high efficiency, even in the case of hazardous substances such as pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and persistent organic pollutants (POPs), by incineration.The handling of inorganic waste (especially if hazardous), on the contrary, is still subject to some controversy, given the heterogeneity of waste streams and the availability of different technologies. Our tight spot, generally in borough areas is that we consider garbage as kachra (waste) — something that is unwanted and needs to be discarded. This mindset sits at the root of the solid waste supervision crunch witnessed daily on the streets of built-up. We have always focused attention on collection and disposal, never considering the segment in all-inclusive manner. The solid waste management sector works as a strategically connected ‘process chain’, where running starts even before waste generation where you aim for reducing waste generation levels, such as by enforcing or encouraging reduced packaging. The domestic then acts as a critical post where reuse, recycling and segregation can happen, significantly reducing the waste load needing collection and transportation. At various stages during this cycle, elements of reuse, recycling, up-cycling and energy generation can be drive in. In families, many inorganic waste components can be reused as happened in the good old days, and kitchen waste can be turned into compost promoting healthy activities like kitchen gardening. Once the waste journey goes beyond the household, and if your vision is to go for zero waste rather than dumping and burning as is the case now, many interesting opportunities open up for promoting start-ups and entrepreneurship where community-based groups and the reserved part can become part of the ‘circular economy’ cycle creating jobs and businesses, making for a healthier, environment-friendly city. It challenges rationality that we miscarry to open our eyes to such opportunities. In a city where more than 50 per cent of the waste is organic, the supervision has abortive to initiate and promote composting-based projects where the product does not only serve as recovered waste but its use can be linked with an outline of greening of areas.
Recycling still happens in the easygoing areas with limited skills and technology investment but recycled products are crude, thus failing to optimize economic dividends. Globally, plastic, wood, metal-based recycling and up-cycling, including recycling of e-waste is a rewarding business with high levels of value addition and an expanding market. Here also we need to connect the dots and create the enabling policy and fiscal space for such enterprises to flourish. For example, establishing conservatory standards can promote the use of sustainable building materials where use of recycled materials is encouraged. Practicability of the waste-to-energy option is not fully explored. If found viable, it can add another important value addition to our waste management process in areas that regularly faces power shortages. The capacity and scope of citizen engagement is much enhanced for this sector, and a shared vision is needed for as a Nil unused ’. It’s not easy but can happen if all pull together and find shared benefits. Extras can be economic, social and environmental, spread across the participants— government, private, community. To move towards a Nil unused ’, a lot has to change: a change in mindset, policies, priorities and a redesigning of the supplementary control planning. An enabling policy and regulation framework has to be charted to attract private enterprise. Indigenously developed technologies should be supported and best practices rewarded. This is of critical importance when designing sustainable cities — associated cross-cutting benefits need to be captured such as a greener city, enhanced economic prosperity, a healthier city with reduced health costs, and rejuvenated public spaces by reclaiming and designing vibrant public spaces that are presently contaminated with garbage. To conclude with “The lack of proper waste education is a universal issue. It affects regardless of country, status, or personal waste management practices. This is why we should not only change our habits and consumption patterns but also encourage others to do the same. The approach should always be to refuse, reduce, reuse, and if we exhaust all other options, recycle.”
(The author Assistant Director Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India is presently posted at NIFT Srinagar. The views, opinions, facts, assumptions, presumptions and conclusions expressed in this article are author’s own and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.)
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