Solid Waste Management (Unit-V)

Solid Waste Management
Unit- V

SolidWaste Management
• Definition, classification, characteristics, segregation,
storage, transportation and management practices,
disposal methods, role of individual in prevention of
pollution, pollution case studies.

Solid Waste
• Solid wastes are all the wastes arising from
human and animal activities that are
normally solid and that are discarded as
useless or unwanted. The term refuse, is often
used interchangeably with the term solid
wastes.

Classification of Material Comprising
Municipal Solid Waste
• Garbage: The animal, fruit or vegetable residues resulting from
handling, preparation, cooking, and eating of foods. Because food
waste are putrescible, they decompose rapidly, especially in warm
weather.
• Rubbish: Combustible and noncombustible solid wastes, excluding
food wastes or other putrescible material. Typically, combustible
rubbish consists of material such as paper, cardboard, plastics,
textiles, rubber, leather, wood, furniture, and garden trimmings.
Non combustible material consists of glass, crockery, tin cans,
aluminum cans, ferrous and non ferrous metals, dirt and
construction wastes.
• Ashes and Residues: Material remaining from the burning of wood,
coal, coke, and other combustible wastes. Ashes and residues are
normally composed of fine powdery materials, cinders, clinkers,
and small amount of burned and partially burned materials.

• Demolition and Construction Wastes: Wastes from
razed buildings and other structures are classified as
demolition wastes. Wastes from the construction,
remolding, and repairing of residential, commercial,
and industrial buildings and similar structures are
classified as construction wastes. These wastes may
include dirt, stones, concrete, bricks.
• Special Wastes: Wastes such as street sweepings,
roadside litter, catch-basin debris, dead animals,
abandoned vehicles are classified as special wastes.
• Treatment Plant Wastes: The solid and semisolid
wastes from water, wastewater, and industrial-waste
treatment facilities are included in the classification.

Classification of Solid Waste in Tabular Form

Classification of Solid Waste in Tabular
Form

Types of Solid Wastes
• Solid wastes are generally classified in three
general categories
• Municipal Wastes
• Industrial Wastes
• Hazardous Wastes

Municipal Wastes
• Municipal Wastes Include waste from residential,
commercial, open areas such as parks, streets,
playgrounds etc. and treatment plant waste these
include wastes such as, garbage, rubbish, ashes,
demolition and construction wastes, special wastes,
treatment plant wastes, principally composed of
residual sludges.

Industrial Wastes
• Industrial wastes are those wastes arising
from industrial activities and typically include
rubbish, ashes, demolition and construction
wastes, special wastes and hazardous wastes.

Hazardous Wastes
• Wastes that pose a substantial danger immediately or over
a period of time to human, plants, or animal life are
classified as hazardous wastes. A wastes is classified as
hazardous waste if it exhibits any of the following
characteristics:
• (1) Ignitability (2) Corrosivity (3) Reactivity (4) Toxicity.
• In the past, hazardous wastes were often grouped into the
following categories:
• (1) Radioactive Wastes (2) Chemicals (3) Biological Wastes
(4) Flammable wastes (5) Explosives. The chemical
category include wastes that are corrosive, reactivity, or
toxic. The principal source of hazardous biological wastes
are hospitals and biological facilities.

Characteristics of Solid Waste
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTES IN INDIAN CITIES

Characteristics of Solid Waste
CHEMICALS CHARACTERISTICS OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTES IN INDIAN CITIES

Physical Characteristics
• Density: The knowledge of density is important for
the design of all elements of the solid waste
management systems like storage, transport and
disposal. For example for a known volume of the
solid waste its density gives us the idea about the
requirement of the truck in tonnage. The density
varies significantly from source to the disposal site
because of handling, change in moisture content,
densification due to vibration of movement,
disturbance by animals and birds (scavengers) etc.

Physical Characteristics
Moisture Content
• Moisture content of the solid waste is expressed as
the weight of moisture per unit weight of wet
material. Moisture content varies generally from 20
to 45% depending upon the climatic conditions and
level of city (income group) etc. The increase of
moisture content increases the weight and thus the
cost of transportation and thus the storage section
should take care of it.

Chemical Characteristics
• Calorific value: Calorific value is the amount
of heat generated from combustion of a unit
weight of a substance, expressed as kilo
calorie per kilogram. The calorific value is
determined in the laboratory by Bomb
Calorimeter.

• The chemical characteristics of solid waste are
determined for assessing the treatment process.
Mainly three chemical characteristics are
determined, chemical, bio-chemical and
toxicological.
• Chemical quantities of solid waste in Indian urban
centres are pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium
(N-P-K), total carbon, carbon/nitrogen ratio, calorific
value.
• Bio-chemical characteristics include carbohydrate,
proteins, natural fiber, and biodegradable factor.
• Toxic characteristics include heavy metals, pesticides,
insecticides etc.

• Consideration of lipids (fats, oils and grease) should also
be done as they are of a very high calorific value (about
38000 Kcal/kg). These days synthetic organic materials like
plastic have become a significant component of solid waste
accounting for 5-7%. In India the plastic is non-biodegradable
and thus poses a great problem. It chokes
the drains and if burnt it produces poisonous gases. The
thin plastic sheets and bags are not recycled as the cost of
making it dirt & oil free makes the process uneconomical.
• All the above considerations of characteristics are required
to design, conceive and assess the most appropriate ways of
transportation, the requirements of treatment, extraction of
energy and the safe, sanitary way of disposal for the
protection of environment

Solid Waste Management
• The solid waste management has the following
components:
• Identification of waste and its minimization at the
source
• Collection, segregation and storage at the site of
collection
• Transportation
• Treatment
• Energy recovery
• Disposal

Identification of Waste and its Minimization at
the Source
• The minimization of the waste production is the best
strategy. For this, first of all the process should be such
that there is a least production of waste.
• Then the next step is to reuse the remaining waste in the
same process. This reduces the cost of transportation etc.

Identification of Waste and its
Minimization at the Source
• The above mentioned methods can be adopted on a large
scale also, but for that the waste is firstly collected,
transported and than utilized. This incurs a large cost. So it
is always preferable that if the waste production is
minimized or the waste is reused, recycled at the source
itself. Thus, the waste minimization is achieved through
careful planning, changing attitude, sometimes special
investments, and most important is a real commitment.
• The self motivated willing reduction of waste is generally
not possible, so strict enforcement of the law should be
there. The waste reduction and reuse, recycling should be
given incentives from the government in the form of tax
reduction and loans

Identification of Waste and its
Minimization at the Source

Collection, Segregation and Storage at the
Site of Collection
• The main problem of solid waste management is
the collection of solid waste. The household
waste consists of all types of general waste. At
present there is no scientific, clean, hygienic,
efficient practice of waste collection in most of
the cities of India including the metro cities.
• The industrial waste is also handled in the same
way. The collection and storage of waste is the
most neglected operation in any industry.

Collection, Segregation and Storage at
the Site of Collection

• The best way would have been the segregation of
waste at the generation point. Segregation means
collecting it in different bins, or plastic bags. The
domestic waste can be broadly separated as reusable
(paper, plastic, metal etc.), and non reusable. The
non reusable may have organic matter like kitchen
waste or inorganic matter like dust, dirt etc. The
organic matter is liable to decomposition
(putrescible) and thus requires immediate attention.

• This separated waste should be regularly
collected by the worker directly from the houses
at some well defined time. Then it should be
transported in (covered vehicles)to some waste
collection depots for utilization/transportation to
different sites. The organic waste can be used for
the production of biogas or for the extraction of
energy, incineration (controlled burning or
making organic compost, and vermi-composting.

Transportation of Solid Waste
• The waste is transported from the storage depots to
the disposal sites in tractor trollies or ill designed
open trucks.
• Though it has been instructed by the law that the
transportation must be done in closed containers
only. The industrial waste must be transported
separately and must be disposed in a safe way after
suitable treatment.
• Any type of the Hazardous waste should be labeled
and coded so that in case of an accident the
emergency services know how to handle a spillage.

Treatment of Solid Waste
• The waste has to be treated before disposal for
the protection of environment.
• In the treatment the biodegradable waste can be
processed by composting, vermi-composting,
anaerobic digestion or any other appropriate
biological processing for stabilization of waste.
• In any case the solid waste should be reduced in
quantity at the source, segregated, then carefully
transported and the economically treated before
the final disposal.

Energy Recovery and Disposal
• The most common methods of energy recovery
and disposal for non hazardous solid waste are
incineration, composting and landfill. The final
disposal of waste should be done in such a way
that it remains a waste in actual sense, i.e.
nothing can be recovered out of it and it could
not be used any where.

Collection Services For Solid
Wastes
• Municipal Collection Service
• Although a variety of collection services are available the three
most common are curb, alley and backyard collection. Curb
collection has gained popularity because labour costs for collection
can be minimized. In the future, it appears that the use of large
container which can be emptied mechanically with an articulated
container pickup mechanism will be the most common method
used for the collection of municipal wastes.
• Curb Service: The house owner is responsible for placing the solid
waste containers at the curb on the scheduled day. The workmen
come, collect and empty the container and put back at the curb.
The house owner is required to take back the empty containers
from the curb to his house.
• Alley Service: The containers are placed at the alley line from
where they are picked up by workmen from refuse vehicle who
deposit back the empty container.

Collection Services For Solid
Wastes
• Set out Set Back Service: Set out man go to the
house collect containers and empty them in the
refuse vehicle. Another group of persons return
them to the house owner’s yard
• Backyard Service: The workers with the
vehicles carry a bin, wheel-barrow or sack or
cloth to the yard and empty the solid waste
container in it. The wheel barrow or bin is then
taken to solid waste vehicle where it is emptied.

Commercial-Industrial Collection
Services
• The collection service provided to large
apartment buildings, residential complexes,
and commercial and industrial activities
typically is centered around the use of large
movable and stationary containers and
large stationary compactors. Compactors are
of type that can be used to compress material
directly into large container or to form bale
that are then placed in large containers.

Types of Collection Systems
• Based on the mode of operation, collection
systems are classified into two categories:
hauled-container systems and stationary-container
systems.

Hauled Container Systems
• Collection system in which the containers used for
the storage of waste are hauled to the processing,
transfer, or disposal site, emptied, and returned to
either their original location or some other location
are defined as hauled-container system.
• There are two main types of container Tilt-frame
Container, and Trash-Trailer. The collector is
responsible for driving the vehicles, loading full
container and unloading empty containers, and
emptying the contents of the container at the disposal
site. In some cases, for safety reasons, both a driver
and helper are used.

• Systems that use tilt-frame-loaded vehicles and large
containers, often called drop boxes, are ideally suited for
collection of all types of solid wastes and rubbish from
locations where the generation rate warrants the use of large
containers. Open-top containers are used routinely at
warehouses and construction sites. Large Containers used in
conjunction with stationary compactors are common at
commercial and industrial services and at transfer stations.
Because of the large volume that can be hauled, the use of
tilt-frame hauled container systems has become widespread,
especially among private collectors servicing industrial
accounts.

• The application of trash-trailer is similar to
that of tilt-frame container systems. Trash-trailer
are better for the collection of
especially heavy rubbish, such as sand,
timber, and metal scrap, and often are used
for the collection of demolition wastes at
construction sites

Stationary-Container System (SCS)
• Collection systems in which the containers used for the storage
of wastes remain at the point of waste generation, except when
moved for collection are defined as stationary-container
systems. There are two main types of stationary-container
system:
• (1) Those in which self-loading compactors are used and
• (2) Those in which manual loaded vehicles are used.
• Container size and utilization are not as critical in stationary-container
systems using self-loading collection vehicles
equipped with a compaction mechanism as they are in the
hauled-container system. Trips to the disposal site, transfer and
loading methods is in the collection of residential wastes and
litter. Manual methods are used for the collection of industrial
wastes where pickup points are inaccessible to the collection
vehicles.

Stationary-Container System (SCS)

Processing of Solid Waste
• Processing techniques are used in solid waste management
systems to (1) improve the efficiency of solid-Waste disposal
systems (2) To recover Resources and (3) To prepare
materials for the recovery of conversion products and energy.
• Mechanical Volume Reduction
• Mechanical Volume Reduction is perhaps the most important
factor in development and operation of solid-waste
management systems. Vehicles equipped with compaction
mechanisms are used for the collection of most municipal
solid wastes. To increase the life of landfills, wastes are
compacted. Paper for recycling is baled for shipping to
processing centres.

Thermal Volume Reduction
• The volume of municipal wastes can be reduced by
more than 90 % by incineration. In the past,
incineration was quite common. However, with more
restrictive air-pollution control requirement
necessitating the use of expensive cleanup equipment
only a limited number of municipal incinerators are
currently in operation. More recently, increased haul
distances to available landfill sites and increased fuel
costs have brought about a renewed interest in
incineration.

Manual Component Separation
• The manual separation of solid waste
components can be accomplished at source
where solid waste are generated, at a transfer
station, at a centralized processing station or at
the disposal site. Manual sorting at the source of
generation is the most positive way to achieve
the recovery and reuse of materials. The number
and types of components salvaged or sorted
depend on the location, the opportunities for
recycling, and the resale market.

Disposal
• Disposal on or in the earth’s mantle is, at present the only
viable method for long-term handling:
• (1) Solid Wastes that are collected and are of no further
use,
• (2) The residual matter remaining after solid wastes have
been processed,
• (3) The residual matter remaining after the recovery of
conversion products and energy has been accomplished.
• Landfilling is the method of disposal used most commonly
for municipal wastes; land farming and deep-well
injection have been used for industrial wastes. Although
incineration is often considered a disposal method, it is in
reality, a processing method.

Landfilling with Solid Wastes
• Land filling involves the controlled disposal of
solid waste on or in the upper layer of the
earth’s mantle.
• Landfilling Methods and Operations
• The principal methods used for landfilling dry
area may be classified as (1) Area (2) Trench
(3) Depression.

• The Area Method
The Area Method is used when the terrain is
unsuitable for the excavation of trenches in which to place
the solid wastes. The filling operation usually is started by
building an earthen bund against which wastes are placed
in thin layers and compacted as the fill progresses untill the
thickness of the compacted wastes reaches a height of 2 to
3 m at the end of day’s operation a 150 mm to 300 mm
layer of cover material is placed over the compacted fill.
The cover material must be hauled in by truck or earth-moving
equipment from adjacent land or from borrow-pit
areas. A final layer of cover material is used when the fill
reaches the final design height.

• The Trench Method
The trench method is suited to areas where an
adequate depth of cover material is available at the site
and where the water table is well below the surface. To
start the process To start the process, a portion of the
trench is dug with a bulldozer and the dirt is stockpiled
to form an embankment behind the first trench. Wastes
are then placed in the trench, spread into thin layers and
compacted. The operation continues untill the desired
height is reached. Cover material is obtained by
excavating an adjacent trench or continuing the trench
that is being filled.

• Depression Landfills
At locations where natural or artificial
depression exist, it is often possible to use them
effectively for landfilling operations. Canyons,
ravines, fry borrow pits and quarries have all used
for this purpose. The technique to place and
compact solid waste in depression landfills vary
with the geometry of the site, the characteristics of
the cover material, the hydrology and geology of
the site, and the access to the site.

Land Farming
Land farming is a waste-disposal method in which the biological, chemical,
and physical processes that occur in the surface of the soil are used to treat
biodegradable industrial wastes. Wastes to be treated are either applied on
top of the land, which has been prepared to receive the wastes, or injected
below the surface of the soil.
When organic wastes are added to the soil, they are subjected simultaneously to the
following process:
(1) Bacteria and chemical decomposition
(2) Leaching of water-soluble components in the original wastes and from the
decomposition product.
(3) Volatilization of selected component in the original wastes and from the
product of decomposition.
Land farming is suitable for wastes that contain organic constituents that
are biodegradable and are not subjected to significant leaching while the
bioconversion process is occurring.

Composting
• Composting as defined earlier is a process in
which organic matter of the solid waste is
decomposed and converted to humus and
stable mineral compounds. The end product of
composting process is called compost which is
rich fertilizer.
• There are three methods of composting:
• (1) Composting by Trenching
• (2) Open window composting
• (3) Mechanical Composting

Composting
• Composting by Trenching:
• In this method trenches 3 to 12 m long, 2 to 3 m wide and 1 to 2 m deep are
excavated with clear spacing of 2 m. The trenches are then filled up with
dry solid waste in layers of 15 cm. On top of each layer 5 cm thick
sandwiching layer of night soil animal dung is spread in semi liquid form.
On the top layer of night soil animal dung is spread in semi liquid form. On
the top layer protruding about 30 cm above the surrounding ground layer, a
layer of earth having thickness of around 10 cm is laid so that there is no
problem of flies. Intensive biological action starts in 2 to 3 days and
organic matter decomposition starts. In this process considerable heat is
generated and temperature of the composting mass rises upto 75 0 C. Due
to this fly breeding does not take place. The solid waste stabilizes in 4 to 6
months and gets changed in to a brown coloured, odourless, innocuous
powdery form known as humus having high manure value because of
nitrogen content.
• The stabilized mass is then removed from trenches screened to remove
coarse inert materials like stones brick bats, glass pieces plastic articles
etc.

Composting
• Indore Method of Composting:
• In this method solid waste night soil and animal dung etc. are
placed in brick lined pits 3 m x 3 m x 1 m deep in alternate
layers of 7.5 to 10 cm height, till the total height becomes 1.5
m. Chemical insecticides are added to prevent fly breeding.
The material is turned regularly for a period of about 8 to 12
weeks and then stored on ground for 4 to 6 weeks. In about 6
to 8 turnings and period of 4 months time compost becomes
ready for use as manure. Insecticide used in Indore method
was DDT but now because of very high half life of DDT in
nature other suitable insecticide is recommended, e.g.
Gamaxine.

Composting
Bangalore Method
• The solid waste is stabilized anaerobically.
Earthen trenches of size 10 x 1.5 x 1.5 m deep
are filled up in alternate layers of solid waste and
night soil/cow dung. The material is converse
with 15 cm earthen layer and left for
biodegradation. In about 4-5 months the
compost becomes ready to use, normally a city
produces 200 to 250 kg/capita/year of refuse
and 8 to 10 kg / capita/year of night soil.

Bangalore Method of Composting

Composting
• OpenWindow Composting:
• In This method large materials like broken glass pieces, stone,
plastic articles etc. are first removed are first removed and
remaining solid waste is dumped on ground in form of piles
of 0.6 to 1 m height the width and length of pile are kept as
60%. The piles are then covered with night soil, animal dung
to supply necessary organisms for biodegradation.
• The temperature rises because of biological activities in the
waste piles and microbial action shift to misophilic to
thermophilic stage. After this pile is turned up for cooling
and aeration to avoid anaerobic decomposition. The
temperature of pile again rises to 75 0 C and process of
turning cooling and aeration are repeated. The complete
process may taker 4 to 6 weeks and finally compost is ready
to use. As fertilizers

Composting
• Mechanical Composting
• The composting by trenching and open window
composting methods require very large area. The
process ire laborious and time consuming. In large
cities the larger area may not be available and
therefore mechanical composting is adopted which is
very fast mechanical devices are employed in turning
the solid waste undergoing composting. The
stabilization of the wastes takes only about 3 to 6 m
days.
• The operation involves
• (1) Reception and refuse (2) segregation
• (3) Shredding (4) Stabilization (5) Marketing the
humus.

Deep-Well Injection
• Deep-Well Injection for the disposal of liquid solid waste involves
injecting the wastes deep in the ground into permeable rock
formations or underground caverns. The installation of deep wells
for the injection of wastes closely follow the practices used for the
drilling and completion of oil and gas wells. To isolate and protect
potential water supply aquifer, the surface casing must be set well
below such aquifers, and cemented to the surface of the well. The
drilling fluid should not be allowed to penetrate the formation that is
To be used for waste disposal. To prevent clogging of the formation,
the drilling fluid is replaced with a compatible solution.
• Deep well injections has been used principally for liquid wastes
that are difficult to treat and dispose of by more conventional
methods and for hazardous wastes. The waste may be liquid,
gases, or solids. The gases and solids are either dissolved in the
liquid or are carried along with the liquid.

Incineration
• Incineration can be defined as a controlled combustion process
for burning solid, liquid and gaseous combustible wastes to
gases and residue containing non combustible material.
• Incinerators are used for the process of incineration. Following
important points should be observed carefully during
incineration.
• Charging of solid waste should be continuous
• Each batch of waste should be well mixed and proportion of fuel
should be such that complete combustion takes places and the
proper temperature is maintained.
• Auxiliary burners are usually installed above the refuse to ignite it
and to establish the draft at the beginning of the cycle. This is
required when moisture content of solid waste is high.
• The minimum temperature in the chamber should be not less than
670 0C so that all organic matter is incinerated and foul smelling
gases are oxidized.

Incineration
• Advantages of Incineration
• Most hygienic method
• Complete destruction of pathogens
• No odour trouble
• Heat generated may be used for raising steam power.
• Clinkers produced may be used for road construction.
• Less space Required
• Adverse weather condition has no effect.
• Disadvantages of Incineration
• Large initial expense
• Care and attention required otherwise in complete combustion will
increase air pollution.
• Residues are required to be disposed which needs money.
• Large number of vehicles required for solid waste transport to the
site of incineration.

Pyrolysis
• It is defined as heating the solid waste at very high temperature in
absence of air.
• Pyrolysis is carried out at a temperature between 500 0 C to 1000
0C to produce three component streams.
• Gas: It is a mixture of combustible gases such as hydrogen, carbon
dioxide, methane, carbon mono-oxide and some hydrocarbons.
• Liquid: It contains tar, pitch, light oil, and low boiling organic
chemicals like acetic acid, acetone, methanol etc.
• Char: It consists of elemental carbon along with inert material in
the waste feed.
• The char liquid and gases have high calorific values.
• It has been observed that even after supplying the heat necessary
for pyrolysis, certain amount of excess heat still remains which can
be commercially exploited.

Important Questions
• What is Solid Waste Management? State the
composition and characteristics of the municipal solid
waste.
• Describe briefly various methods of collection of solid
waste.
• Describe Composition and characteristics of solid
waste.
• Write short note on “Composting.
• What are the sources of Municipal Solid Waste? Give
the classification of materials found in municipal solid
waste.
• Write short notes on
• (a) Physical Compositions of Solid Waste
• (b) Composting

Solid Waste Management at
Community Level
• Solid Waste Management cannot be
successful without the involvement of all
stakeholders who have a vital role to play in
successful implementation of the scheme. It is
worthwhile to examine some of the initiatives
in this regard.

Community Level

Community Level
• Bhagidari Scheme in Delhi
The Delhi Government instituted the Bhagidari
Scheme for ensuring close cooperation of the
Residents Welfare Association (RWAs), civic
agencies and the government. A step in the right
direction was taken by getting a court order for
compulsory segregation of waste at the
household level from January 1, 2004.

Community Level
• In December 2003 (Hindustan Times 26.12.2003 ), the
Municipal Commissioner of Delhi announced a system by
which segregated garbage from homes would be transported
to municipal bins through specially designed handcarts
having two compartments. He further mentioned that the
segregation system would reduce 50 per cent of the garbage
going to landfills and thereby result in cost reduction. Due to
various reasons, the scheme has not really taken off. As a
matter of fact, the bins that were located on the side of a road
had been pilfered. Only in some colonies, where RWAs
decided to tackle the problem themselves, the scheme is
working.

Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF)
As a part of the overall plan of the BATF, solid waste
management has been taken up in a big way in Bangalore City.
The whole operation has been outsourced to private agencies
who provide the infrastructure right from Safai Karamcharis,
their uniforms and caps, bins, trolleys and vehicles (dumpers)
that pick up the collected waste and transport it to the
composting site on the city’s outskirts.
The Safai Karamcharis have been given strict instructions not to
collect the waste from households if it is not segregated. Their
areas of responsibility are clearly demarcated along with their
collection schedule. These areas are under supervisors of the
contracted agency and hence, it is ensured that every place is
kept clean.

Individual Effort in Rural
Maharashtra
A 39 year old bank cashier, Ms. Asha Shivajirao
Bhise, left her job and took up vermi-composting
in a big way (Indian Express, 16.04.2004 ). With a
total corpus of Rs. 15 lakhs, she set up a vermi-composting
project and harvested 20 tonnes of
compost in 40 days, which was picked up by
farmers within days. It is an example of tapping
commercial opportunities in solid waste
management and total commitment by an
individual.

Vermi-Composting Project
http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/living/the-new-black-gold

NGOs
NGOs play a very crucial role in catalysing community action.
The most workable method is to use the enthusiasm of children
from schools in the neighbourhood. They have the expertise to
systematically initiate the programme, put the system in place,
monitor its progress and provide valuable guidance. It is
recommended that a consortium of like-minded NGOs be
formed and geographical zones allotted, keeping in view the
aspect of total coverage of the town / city. The NGOs are
required to impart orientation training and do hand-holding of
RWAs till the system is set in place and starts working. To keep
the interest alive, NGOs could organize competitions among
RWAs. NGOs should also involve charitable institutions like
Rotary, Jaycee, Lions, etc. for financial support.

Conclusion
Although India has the most comprehensive Municipal Solid
Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000, it is just a
directive on paper without any enforcement and
implementation. Very little effort has been made to train and
build the capacity of all stakeholders. Hence, there are all
kinds of excuses given for its failure.
Most of the municipalities cite lack of resources to manage
solid waste while the communities feel that they have not
been involved. Resource agencies, like NGOs, want to take the
initiative but do not wish to get involved till they have a
complete assurance of cooperation from all stakeholders,
specially the government and civic agencies.
They also do not like the idea of volunteering without any
financial back-up. The government should educate and
inform people about such projects before executing any plan,
so that the desired results are obtained.

Solid Waste Management in
Mumbai, India- A Case Study

Solid Waste Management in Mumbai,
India
General Profile of City
• Population; Area; Income; Geography; Climate; Economic activities
Waste Generation
• Amount; Source and Composition
Waste Collection
• Quantity collected - Frequency, modes
• Quantity NOT collected - Its destination

Solid Waste Management in Mumbai,
India
Waste Disposal/Recovery
• Technologies in use for disposal/recycling/recovery of waste
Current Waste Management Framework
• Legal; Institutional – Government/NGOs; Stakeholders across the
chain; Policy framework

Waste Generation
• “Municipal solid waste" includes commercial and residential wastes
generated in a municipal or notified areas in either solid or semi-solid
form excluding industrial hazardous wastes but including treated bio-medical
wastes” ( MSW Rules, 2000)
• Garbage generated for 2011-12: 9,200 metric tones (Ghanekar,
2013)
• Approximate Composition (in order of volume)
– Compostable matter
– Sand & Fine earth (from street sweeping)
– Paper/cardboard
– Others (plastics, glass, metals etc.)
from residential and commercial premises (Source: MCGM)

Waste Collection
• Agency-in-Charge – Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai
(MCGM, from here-on; also called BMC); Ministries involved are
Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of Environment &
Forests)
• Salient features:
– Street Sweeping – 100% street cleaning in 1 or 2 shifts (67% by municipal
staff and 33% roads by private contractors)
– Power sweeping introduced in Island City area
– Garbage management in 4 main beaches given to private entities on 5-year
contracts
– Collection 83% through collection bins and 13% house-to-house collection
(Source: MCGM)
• Frequency :
– 1396 number of trips each day. (MCGM, around 2007-08)

Waste collection
• Waste NOT COLLECTED = 15% of the amount generated.
(Ghanekar, 2013)
• Reason cited, IRONICALLY, is want of resources (when
MCGM is the Richest Corporation in India (Pradhan, 2007)

Waste Collection Pilot schemes
Slum Adoption Scheme:
• Honorarium to Community-Based
Organizations (CBOs) to lead slum-cleaning;
authorized to collect small amounts per
household in lieu of services provided
Advanced Locality Management (ALM) –
• Street communities interact with Ward o
officers; for civic issues like promoting
• rag-pickers for dry waste collection and
composting for wet-waste
(Source: MCGM)

Waste Disposal - Journey of Waste…
Source: MCGM (around 2007-08)

Waste Recovery
• Recovery…NOT REALLY!
– No substantive segregation at source, despite MSW rules (2000)
(Ghanekar, 2013)
– Biogas production; vermin-composting at initial stages
• Informal Recycling - by ‘Rag pickers’
– (some affiliated to co-operative rag pickers’ unions): Sell recyclable
stuff (paper, plastic, cardboard etc) to scrap dealers

Waste recovery –
Dharavi Slum – Recycling Hub?
• One of World’s largest slums
• Recycling Micro-entrepreneurship
• Estimated 15,000 single-room factories
• Estimated Overall Output: A mind-boggling
110
£700M
• Around 80% of plastic waste (among
other things) recycled, employing
10,000 people
(Source: The Observer, 2007)

Waste Management Framework
• Laws:
Stakeholders
Institution in
Charge –
Municipal
Corporation of
Greater Mumbai
(MCGM
Informal Rag-pickers
and
Recyclers
NGOs and
recycling
companies
Citizens
– Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Rules (2000) made it mandatory for local municipal
bodies to enforce segregation at source (MSWRules, 2000)
– Greater Mumbai Cleanliness and Sanitation Bye-laws, 2006 – Maintaining general
cleanliness; fixing fines and monitoring

Issues for the case-study
• Insufficient updated documentation of Waste-related Data and
information
• On the Ground:
• Sheer size of the population and corresponding Waste generation; High
and rapidly increasing volume of Solid Waste 10000 MTPD by
2025(MCGM)
• No apparent practice of even the most basic scientific waste management
practices like waste segregation at source

References
• Presentation by Ms. Pratima Pandey
• Census 2011a, GoI
• http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/
paper2/data_files/India2/Table_3_PR_UA_Citiees_1Lakh_and_Above.pdf
Census 2011b, GoI
• http://www.census2011.co.in/census/city/365-mumbai.html
• MCGM, 2013
http://www.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous?NavigationTarget=navurl://c4b79f15e55f9817690
5a7c2c7d910ee
• ToI, 2011
• http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-03-23/mumbai/29177565_1_capita-income-pci-
thane-and-pune
• Nakaskar, 2011
• http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-20/mumbai/29793908_1_south-mumbai-mumbai-
houses-bfsi
• MCGM, around 2007-08
• http://www.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous/qlcleanover

Solid Waste Management (Unit-V)

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Solid Waste Management (Unit-V)