Implementation
For municipal waste management to be effective, a number of actions have to be carried out concurrently.
The waste management activity can be broken down into smaller and simpler ‘action points’. We suggest
a few such Action Points. These Action Points can be implemented concurrently or in phases to achieve
the desired results.
The Action Points specify “what” needs to be done. These can be categorized into following five broad
categories:
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Separate collection & management of Waste from bulk generators;
Door-to-Door Collection, Segregation & Transportation;
Road sweeping & Nuisance detection;
Waste Processing and Landfill;
Biomedical waste management
Separate Collection and Management of Bulk Waste
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Bulk waste generators: Implementation of the MSW Rules should start with
bulk waste generators. This perhaps is the most critical and cost effective way for
waste management in a city. Usually bulk generators accounts for 30-40 per cent
of city’s total waste. These generators are less in number and can be more easily
covered. It is possible to achieve early successes by concentrating on these bulk
waste producers, initially.
Don’t Allow Mixing of Wastes: The waste processing is also easier if such bulk
waste is not allowed to get mixed with rest of the city waste. Such waste is more
homogeneous / concentrated (containing mostly wet garbage) and thus can easily
be recycled / composted or used as a land fill (debris) without additional cost
incurred on segregation. This can save precious space in land fill site. It is
criminal to dump debris in land fill sites obtained and developed after lot of effort.
Similarly, waste from markets and eateries can be composted into organic
fertilizers instead of ending in land fill.
Independent collection and transportation of waste: It helps in establishing a
system of collection and transporting segregated waste. As separate vehicles are
provided to collect waste from bulk producers, this system can gradually be
extended to cover segregated waste collection from other sources. Another spin
off is less nuisance around community bins. Hotel waste contains leftover food
items and it is an usual sight to find dogs and cattle around such bins. Direct
collection of waste from the bulk producers prevents such waste from coming on
to the streets, and thus from nuisance due to cattle, etc.
Service charges: Service charges can be more easily be recovered from such
producers. The Municipal legislation allows levy of special sanitation fees on
hotels, restaurants, cattle sheds, etc. These generators can also afford to pay the
service charges.
The types of waste to be collected and managed separately:
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Waste generated from construction materials/ debris
Waste generated at restaurants, canteens, marriage/party halls, temples.
Waste from vegetable & fruit markets, slaughter houses, meat and fish market
Waste generated in parks and gardens, household garden waste, etc.
Waste generated during exhibitions, fairs, religious assemblies, conferences etc.
Specific waste generated in a proportionally large quantity in a city.
 A direct service charge on the generators of bulk cost need to be recovered for
the services provided.
Action Point 1:
Provide Separate Collection and Disposal Mechanism for Construction Waste /
Debris
The responsibility of storing and landfill of construction waste should fully and squarely
lie on its generators. For this there are two alternatives. The Municipal Bodies may
earmark a low lying areas where debris can be spread and notify such places. The
debris generators themselves or through contractors transport and spread debris over
these appointed sites. The other option is for the Municipal Bodies to arrange for
collection and transportation of debris through appointed contractors who can be allowed
to charge the generators at a predetermined rate. The contractors can also be allowed to
“sell” such debris to other construction sites that require land filling.
A few examples…
Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has started a novel ‘dial-a-debris-removal scheme’. It is
mandatory for citizens to get their debris
removed through this helpline system. For this, the debris generators are charged Rs 400500 per truck
In Nagpur debris, sand, earth, bricks, building materials, etc. were dumped on roads and
footpaths causing hazards to traffic and pedestrians. It also resulted in unclean roads and
streets. The Corporation gave a separate contract for lifting such waste to a private
contractor. Charges are recovered from the generator by the corporation
Urban Local Bodies can rent out special bins for debris collection and storage before its
transportation. The debris so collected can be used for land fill of low lying areas,
developing playgrounds, etc. It can also be used for making brick and tiles.
 Navi Mumbai has been using debris to fill up low lying areas which are prone to
breeding of mosquitoes. It has helped in reducing incidence of malaria in the city.
 In Chandigarh, the Corporation has identified low lying areas where debris can be
spread. It also entertains request from organizations such as schools for land
filling the low lying areas and converting them into a playground. Bricks and tiles
are manufactured from demolition debris in Navi Mumbai with the help from an
NGO (Yuva). Such bricks can be used for surfacing pavements.
Action Point 2:
Provide Separate Collection Mechanism for Bulk Waste Producers
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Municipal Bodies must put in place a system to separately collect waste from
large waste producers like hotels, restaurants, marriage halls, slaughter houses,
markets, shopkeepers, roadside hawkers, offices, cowsheds, etc
Bulk waste could be collected at a specific time suitable for that category of
generators. For example, hotels and eating houses could be covered during the
night, while fruit & vegetable markets, meat & fish markets, abattoirs, shops, etc
could be covered at market closing hours. Waste may be collected more than
once from wholesale vegetable markets where waste in the early morning hours,
and if not cleared, piles up emanating bad stench
Private agencies can be appointed for door-to-door collection, transportation and
treatment of waste from bulk producers
Example…
Matheran Municipal Council has started a of separate waste collection system from hotels
and lodges and charges on a per room basis.
Bulk waste from vegetable markets and restaurants in Vasai, and to some extent in Virar
and Mumbai, is lifted and transported at night.
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Bulk biodegradable waste from restaurants, halls etc should be processed
independently through vermi-composting / biogas generation.
 Service charges should be levied on bulk waste generators to recover the cost.
In case a private operator / NGO has been engaged, it would be ideal if the
charges are directly collected by the agency. Incentive should be given to the
operators to inform the Municipal Body about the defaulters, thereby motivating
them to perform, as well as helping in monitoring and penalizing the defaulters.
 Waste produced in large quantities, specific to a city can also be similarly
collected. Such large sources of waste can be identified when the initial survey to
identify the type and generators of waste in the city are taken up.
 An awareness drive would be essential while tackling bulk waste producers.
However, this work is comparatively simpler.
Trade associations can be taken into confidence and methods to independently
handle their waste can be discussed and finalized. Where possible, the
association can be involved in identifying the agency and the members can pay
service charges to the agency directly.
Action Point 3:
Provide for independent handling of Garden / Green Waste
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Green waste and foliage in municipal parks and gardens should be collected
within such premises for converting it into organic fertilizer that can be used as
fertilizer there itself. Foliage and garden waste can also be converted into
manure for sale at decentralized or centralized locations.
Examples:
Foliage and green waste from gardens is converted into vermi-compost by Pimpri
Chinchwad and Pune Municipal Corporations. About 5 tonne of biodegradable
waste is composted in a centrally located garden in Aurangabad.
Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation too is producing compost out of garden waste.
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Even from private houses, garden waste, dry foliage and biomass can be
separately collected and lifted. The garden waste may be lifted once a week
instead of daily collection. This could be on a specific day in a week (say
Monday, since citizens are likely to tend to their gardens on a sunday) through a
separate vehicle. Citizens could be forbidden from dumping garden waste on
other days
Door to door collection of Waste, Segregation & Transportation
The Cause:In cities considered efficient in managing waste adequate number of
community bins are provided. They are colour coded with separate bins for dry
and wet waste and may even have covers so that the waste does not smell. The
residents are expected to segregate their waste and place it into these bins after
opening the covers and properly placing back the lids. The municipal staff is
expected to come with covered vehicles / compactors and empty the community
bins. Separate municipal staff to clean the roads in the morning is provided.
Even when the roads are cleaned in the morning, the traders, after cleaning their
shops soon dump their waste onto the bins. The households also dump their
waste onto the dustbins. No body bothers to open the lids, and garbage is seen
dumped all around the bins. Since there is no body to monitor (and most of the
waste workers are illiterate) the waste is never segregated and both the bins end
with the same type of garbage. In some cases the bins are inadequate and waste
is thrown onto the road and all possible nooks and corners, nallahs, gutters,
water bodies, etc. Pedestrians and hawkers add to the problem since litter bins
are mostly not provided. All this adds up to give a city an unclean look.
Solution: Door to door collection has to be the staring point for a good waste
management system. Along with this the residents have to be told the manner in
which the Municipal Body would accept the waste, and a mechanism has to be in
place to enforce this system.
Action Point 4:
Specify how residents can handover waste to municipal body
The first step is to specify how the residents may place waste on public places.
There have to be certain guidelines to be followed before any biodegradable and
non-biodegradable waste may be placed in any public place or in public view. This
has to be followed with a will to enforce the same. Nuisance occurs in public places
when people do not respect the rights of the society at large. While the waste
generators can be encouraged and motivated to follow the specified methodology, at
some point of time enforcement would be necessary.
Specify how much to segregate
It is a necessary for every Municipal Body to specify to what extent the residents
have to segregate their waste before it is handed over to the public system.
Segregation of waste initially can be into two categories, dry and wet waste.
At a later stage, dry waste can be required to be segregated further into paper
and board, plastics, metals, etc.
Action Point 5:
Municipal bodies must undertake direct door to door collection from all generators
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Waste collection through community bins is not a sustainable solution. The Rules
mandate that no waste shall be thrown on the streets, footpaths, open spaces,
drains or water bodies. The waste is to be stored at the source of waste
generation in two bins/bags. The municipal bodies have to collect waste directly
from the generators and transport it to the processing site. This is an important
step in the entire chain of solid waste management. Without this it is not possible
to identify generators who do not give segregated waste.
Saving in transportation and processing costs: Another benefit of door to door
collection is the reduction in the waste reaching the land fill. Substantial amounts
of recyclables are collected and sold during such collection. More important,
it generates quite a bit of employment for the poorest of the poor in the urban
areas.
Finally, it is only such cities that have been able to organize an effective system
of house to house collection of waste, that have been able to . This has led to not
only clean roads and more space for pedestrians, but have also eliminated cattle,
dog and rodent menace, that such bins attract.
Start with a small area first
 Implementation of door-to-door waste collection may start by covering a part of
the city.
Example:
When Nagpur initially started door to door collection, only 40% of the city was covered
initially.
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This can later (and quickly) be extended to cover the full city.
Separate Collection Mechanism Required for Different Residences
 Separate collection mechanism needs to be evolved for covering large housing
complexes & housing societies, individual
row houses and slums.
 Housing complexes, multi-storied buildings and societies can collect waste from
each household and store it at a common point within their complex. This can be
near the entrance from where an operator can easily lift the same. The
building bylaws must require all such large complexes to provide for a separate
space for placing of such common bins near the entrance / guard room. The
larger mechanized vehicles are more suited for covering areas with housing
societies / large housing complexes.
 On the other hand, handcarts are more appropriate to cover slums and
congested localities. Small auto rickshaws are ideal for row houses. Another
option is to use a tractor with 2/ 3 trolleys placed at strategic locations. While the
door to door collection staff can empty their handcarts into the stationary trolley,
the tractor empties them and places them at a new location, one by one.
Give the Community rights to monitor services
Examples:
In Amravati the operator engaged for door to door collection has to submit
the signatures of 25 respected citizens of the
ward for satisfactory work, at the end of every month, failing which the
monthly bill is not be cleared.
Yavatmal has put in place a system where the residents can phone up a
dedicated telephone number in case the Ghanta Gadi does not come to
collect the waste
Action Point 6:
Municipal bodies must insist on segregated waste being given during door to door
collection
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Waste segregation at source is crucial for effective solid waste management.
Without this all efforts on other aspects of waste management will not achieve
the optimum results.
Bio-degradable waste needs to be collected from the doorstep on a daily basis.
Recyclable waste material / non biodegradable waste other than toxic and
hazardous waste should be collected once / twice a week and at a frequency and
in the manner, notified by the local body from time to time.
Waste such as used batteries, containers for chemicals and pesticides,
discarded medicines and other toxic or hazardous household waste, should be
kept separately from the above two streams of waste. This should be deposited
by waste producers in special bins that may be provided by the local body at
various places in the city for depositing such waste.
Suryapet town in Andhra Pradesh has achieved a zero garbage status. The municipality
undertakes collection of segregated waste from the doorsteps and processes wet garbage
while recycling dry waste and selling it. This not only covers the cost of sanitation
services but also earns the municipality some income
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Even where processing of mixed garbage is possible, people should be
encouraged to give segregated waste. This will increase the efficiency of the
processing project. Mixed waste affects the quality of the end products and thus
its marketability. Savings in cost by a contractor ultimately gets passed on to the
city through lower cost per tonne, or through higher royalty.
Plan a separate system for collection of dry waste
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Some Municipal Bodies in the state have decided to collect only the wet waste
and have made the citizens responsible for managing the dry waste on their own.
This is not the right practice. This is also not as per Rules. The rules require that
while dry waste may not be collected on a daily basis, it has to be occasionally
collected by municipal bodies.
Not all dry waste is recyclable. Residents are not always able to give away all the
dry waste produced by them. While they may be able to sell / hand over plastics,
paper, card board, metals, etc to Kabariwallahs, rag pickers, watchman, etc,
there would be some dry waste which has no resale value. This would include
thin plastics, broken tube lights & bulbs, small empty bottles, and the like.
In case the municipal bodies do not undertake to collect these, this would be
“mixed” with the wet waste and would cost more to segregate during processing.
This also increases the resistance of residents to accept segregation. It is
therefore imperative that the municipal bodies collect the dry waste also.
Another strategy that has been adopted very successfully by Virar is to collect
the dry waste only once in 2/3 days. The dry garbage does not decompose and
hence it is possible for the generators to store it for a longer periods. This can
even be collected once a week. A separate trip of vehicles exclusively to collect
dry waste (for large housing complexes and society buildings) would be ideal in
such a situation. This would avoid the need to have vehicles with two
compartments. The city could be divided into 6/7 zones and a trip to collect the
dry waste could be organized in the afternoon.
Action Point 7:
Encourage waste reduction
Examples:
Matheran Municipal Council is processing all wet garbage into manure and
recycles dry waste through SJSRY self
help groups.
In Mumbai, Advance Locality Management program is implemented in over 200
residential complexes. Wet waste is processed into manure which is used in the
gardens, pots within the complex. Corporation allows composting pits on top of
municipal drains for decentralized composting by resident associations.
Pimpri Chinchwad has initiated waste processing in large residential complexes
through people’s participation.
Action Point 8:
Japan gets creative with trash disposal
Yokohama: When the city recently doubled the number of garbage categories to 10, it handed residents a 27 page
booklet on how to sort their
trash. Kamikatsu, Japan, has 44 categories of trash, and Masaharu Tokimoto, 76.
Lipstick goes into burnables; lipstick tubes, ‘after the contents have been used up’, into small metals or plastics. A
kettle under 12 inches goes into
small metals, but over that it goes into bulky refuse.
In Japan, the long term push to sort and recycle aims to reduce the amount of garbage that ends up in incinerators.
In land-scarce Japan, up to
80% of garbage is incinerated, while a similar percentage ends up in landfills in the United States. The
environmentally friendlier process of sorting
and recycling may be more expensive than dumping, experts say, but it is comparable in cost to incineration.
Source: Times of India, Dated 14 May 2005, by Normitisu Onishi
Transport waste directly to the processing Site
Ideally, segregated waste should be collected at the door step and directly transported to
the processing site. 12