Solid Waste has been major concern of the Urban Local Bodies. Generation of Waste per day from Large Metropolis like Mumbai and Delhi is 9,000 metric tonnes and 8,300 metric tonnes respectively.
Current Scenario of Municipal Solid Waste:
• Focus of Urban Local Bodies in India has been greatly on the collection and transportation of solid waste . And very less focus on its processing and safe disposal of waste.
• Irregular or Illegal Dumping of Waste is common, resulting in Reducing in the size of Urban Water Bodies and Wetlands.
• Illegal dumping in the Water Bodies causing the Pollution, And spread of water borne diseases.
• Various studies pointed out that 90% of Municipal Solid Waste is being disposed unscientifically in open dumps and landfills.
• Percentage of Waste Treatment is very low as compare to the Dumping of Waste.
• Generation of Municipal Solid Waste is 62 million tonnes per annum from the Towns and Cities.
Issues related to the Solid Waste Management:
• Waste segregation at source is negligible.
• Increasing the load of landfills, dumping is common, but managing Waste scientifically is a problem.
• Lack of awareness about the segregation of Waste and proper Management.
• Absence of Involvement of Private Authorities and other Non-Governmental Organizations.
• Community Participation is very very poor.
• Lack of Funding from the State to the Urban Local Bodies to manage Waste.
• Improper collection, segregation, treatment of Waste by Local Bodies.
• Lack of Infrastructure and technology
Measures to tackle Municipal Solid Waste:
• Waste segregation at source should be done properly.
• Need to reduce the load of landfill sites by the installation of Waste to compost and Bio-Methanation plants.
• Creating a system of Conversion of Waste into Energy.
• State government should provide financial support to Urban Local Bodies to improve the management of Waste.
• Improvement in Civic Services Infrastructure such as installation of Public Dustbins, so that people can directly approach along with waste segregation.
• Encouraging Community Participation, Private Authorities and People in the Management of Waste.
Making them aware about it
• Taking inspirations from International Practices and adoption of those, like South Korea one of the few Countries to separate and recycle food waste and also had launched Landfill Recovery Project which is one of the successful.
• Encouraging Public-Private Cooperation to manage waste.
Management of Solid Waste needs to be improved with the support of Community Participation, People, NGOs, Private Authorities. State should financially support Urban Local Bodies to set up required Infrastructure and technologies.