+91 766-603-3928 info@yimby.in

Times Of India (2nd Oct Publication)

Our day to day living and activities create waste, may it be cooking, eating, constructing, transporting, packaging etc. it’s difficult for one to understand and handle or store or may be dispose off the waste. This storing or collecting of waste is called solid waste and can be a risk to public health, environment or aesthetics of the place.

As we are rapidly growing towards urbanization , especially in cities or frequently visited tourist places problems and issues of Solid waste are on a rise and need to be handled immediately, Our Government bodies have understood the importance for the SWM service but are also facing difficulties coz if various factors. May that be rise in population, Human behavior towards cleanliness, deficiency in labour contracts or participation from private sectors.

It is understood from a study that SWM is the second most important problem of any Government after Unemployment. In most cases collection of waste is not handled and we lose on about 1/3 of our collection thus generating undisciplined dumps across the roads, drains, unutilized plots or streets. This uncollected waste further is a cause contributing to flooding, breeding of insects, spreading of foul smell and spreading of diseases. Even waste that is sometimes collected is disposed at an uncontrolled dumpsites or burned, polluting our water recourses and air.  

In many cases of cities, Municipal solid waste contains Hazardous pollutant chemical waste, hospital waste, Animal excrements, sharp metals etc. This waste facilitates Diseases and injuries among children, rag pickers and employees among SWM Sectors.

Contamination of this kind is likely at all points where waste is handled. Although it is certain that vector insects and rodents can transmit various pathogenic agents (amoebic and bacillary dysenteries, typhoid fever, cholera, yellow fever, plague, and others), it often is difficult to trace the effects of such Transmission to a specific population. The implementation of MSWM practices benefits both public health and environmental quality directly and substantially.

Many factors such as area, population, waste amount must be considered in design of swm plant.

Why Segregation of Waste at source is important?

  • Source segregation:- As per the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, every waste generator should segregate and store waste generated by them in three separate fractions.
  1. Bio‐degradable(Wet), 
  2. Non‐bio‐degradable(Dry)
  3. Domestic  hazardous  wastes  in  suitable  bins
  • Segregation at source prevents mixing up of waste hence eliminates waste going to landfill & allows ease for waste recycling.
  • The first best practice is reduce waste generation. all we have to do is think about options & the amount of waste generation we could avoid by alternative practices.
  • The second best practice is source segregation & treating the bio-degradable waste at its source of generation… trust me, composting is far more easy than dumping your waste into drains or by the roadside.

Why should you start composting?

  • Composting is an inexpensive, easy and natural process that transforms your kitchen and garden waste into a valuable and nutrient rich food for your garden. 
  • Do your bit to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. When waste is sent to landfill, air cannot get to the organic waste. Therefore as the waste breaks down it creates a harmful greenhouse gas, methane (72 times more harmful than carbon dioxide) damages the Earth’s atmosphere.

What would you choose for the future of your kids … Greenhouse gas or Nutrient rich Greens???

Plastic Waste Management & Alternatives to Single Use Plastic as per PWM rules 2016.

 The rapid rate of urbanization and development has led to increase in consumption of plastic products vis-à-vis plastic waste generation. It is a fact that plastics waste constitutes a significant portion of the total municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in India. Plastics are non-biodegradable and remain on earth for thousands of years. The burning of plastics waste under uncontrolled conditions lead to generation of different hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), depending upon the type of polymers and additives used. However, the end-of-life plastics can be recycled into a second life application but after every thermal treatment/recycling deterioration in quality of recycled plastic products. Thus plastic waste can be recycled only 3-4 times. The visibility of huge quantity of plastic waste has been perceived as a serious problem and made plastics a target in the management of solid waste.

For efficient management of plastic waste, the Government of India has superseded with the earlier Plastic Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2011 and notified Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016 on 18th March, 2016. These rules shall apply to every Waste Generator, Local Body, Gram Panchayat, Manufacturer, Importer, Producer and Brand Owner throughout India.

The salient features of the PWM Rules, 2016 are given below:

  • PWM Rules, 2016 shall apply to every Waste Generator, Local Body, Gram Panchayat, Manufacturer, Importer, Producer and Brand
  • Carry bag made of virgin or recycled plastic shall not be less than fifty microns in thickness. The provision of thickness shall not be applicable to carry bags made up of compostable plastic, complying IS/ISO:
  • Waste Generators including institutional generators, event organizers shall not litter the plastic waste. They shall segregate waste and handover it to authorized agency and shall pay user fee as prescribed by ULB for waste management or spot fine in case of
  • Within a period of six months from publication of PWM Rules, 2016 in official Gazette, Producer, Brand Owner shall work out modalities for waste collection system for collecting back the plastic waste generated due to their products, in consultation with local authority/State Urban Development Department and implement it within two years thereafter.
  • Promote use of plastic waste for road construction or energy recovery or waste to oil or co-processing in cement kilns
  • SPCB/PCC shall be the authority for enforcement of the provisions of PWM Rules, 2016, relating to registration, manufacture of plastic products and multi-layered packaging, processing and disposal of plastic
  • Concerned Secretary-in-charge of Urban Development of the State or a Union Territory and concerned Gram Panchayat in the rural area of the State or a Union Territory shall be the authority for enforcement of the provisions of PWM Rules, relating to waste management by waste generator, use of plastic carry bags, plastic sheets or like, covers made of plastic sheets and multi-layered
  • Stakeholders & Responsible Authorities shall use Forms I to VI of the PWM Rules, 2016 for providing information to respective authorities on implementation of PWM Rules, 2016.

Gaurav Pokle

(Goa-9765394600)