India’s Problem of Waste Generation

India generates the most waste globally, and by 2050, our waste generation will double.

Impact

  • The proliferation of airless open dumps of garbage leads to emissions of methane.
  • Leachate, which is a black liquid oozing out from the waste as it slowly decomposes over a period of 25 to 30 years, contaminates soil and groundwater.
  • Foul odour from the waste rotting in airless heaps, and smoke from the fires that routinely erupt in them, are other consequences of dumping waste in the open.
  • The earlier landfills are without bottom liners and sideliners, which allows the Leachate to seep into the ground causing groundwater and land pollution.

Some of the major issues concerning solid waste management are:

  • Absence of segregation of waste at source;
  • Lack of funds for waste management at ULBs;
  • Lack of technical expertise and appropriate institutional arrangement;
  • Unwillingness of ULBs to introduce proper collection, segregation, transportation and treatment/disposal systems;
  • Indifference of citizens towards waste management due to lack of awareness;
  • Lack of community participation towards waste management and hygienic conditions; and
  • Lack of sewage management plan.

Associated Risks

  • Spread of diseases
  • Water, air and soil pollution

Management of Solid Waste

Solid waste management can be divided into four key components: Generation, Storage and Collection Transportation and Disposal:

  1. Generation: Generation of solid waste is the stage at which materials become of no use to the owner and they wish to get rid of them.
  2. Storage and Collection: Door to Door collection of Solid wastes under JawaharLal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Whereas under Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, two different dustbins have been provided (Blue and Green Dustbins) which are used to segregate two different kinds of wastes.
  3. Transportation: This is the stage when solid waste is transported to the final disposal site.
  4. Disposal: The final stage of solid waste management is safe disposal where associated risks are minimised. There are six main methods for the disposal of solid waste:
    1. Land application
    2. Composting
    3. Burning or incineration
    4. Pyrolysis
    5. Vermiculture
    6. Recycling

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