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Picture Courtesy: Down to Earth

Context:

India generates massive amounts of waste, which, if unmanaged, leads to pollution and health hazards. The Waste to Wealth concept seeks to transform this challenge into an opportunity by converting municipal, agricultural, and industrial waste into energy, compost, and recyclable materials.

Classification of Waste:

• Domestic Waste: Generated from households — includes food scraps, packaging, paper, plastics, and garden waste.
  Example: Kitchen waste, old clothes, and plastic bottles.
• Industrial Waste: Produced by manufacturing and industrial activities — may include hazardous chemicals or heavy metals.
  Example: Slag, metal shavings, chemical residues.
• Agricultural Waste: Originates from farming and livestock activities.
  Example: Crop residues, animal manure, pesticide containers.
• Biodegradable Waste: Can decompose naturally by microorganisms.
  Example: Food waste, paper, agricultural residue.
• Non-Biodegradable Waste: Cannot decompose easily; persists in the environment.
  Example: Plastics, metals, glass, electronic items.

Current Finding on Waste management in India:

• According to the latest data from Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) (SBM-U), about 80% of municipal solid waste (MSW) is claimed to be processed in urban India.
• India generates around 62 million tonnes of solid waste every year, but only about 43 million tonnes are collected, and 12 million tonnes are properly treated. The rest is dumped in open landfills.
• solid waste is expected to rise to around 165 million tonnes by 2030 due to population growth and urbanisation.
• Each urban resident produces about 0.7 kilograms of waste every day on average.
• The waste management sector in India is growing and is expected to be worth around 13.5 billion US dollars in 2025. 

What is Waste to Wealth Mission?

The Waste to Wealth Mission is built on the principle of a circular economy, where materials are reused, recycled, and recovered rather than discarded.
It seeks to close the loop between production, consumption, and disposal, so that waste materials re-enter the economy instead of polluting the environment.

Significance;

• Environmental Sustainability: Reduce pollution, conserve natural resources, and make cities cleaner and healthier.
• Economic Opportunity: Generate income and green jobs by using scientific methods to recover valuable materials from waste.
• Innovation and Technology: Promote modern waste treatment technologies — composting, bio methanation, recycling, and waste-to-energy conversion.
• Scientific and Policy Support: Bridge the gap between research, industry, and government to create evidence-based waste management solutions.
• Behavioural Change: Encourage citizens, industries, and local governments to see waste differently — not just something to “get rid of,” but something to “make use of.”

What are the challenges of waste management in India?

• Rapid Urbanisation and Growing Waste Volumes: India’s cities generate tens of millions of tonnes of waste every year, and the amount keeps increasing as populations and incomes grow. Ghazipur Landfill, Delhi — Often called the “mountain of garbage,” it is over 60 metres high and releases methane, which frequently causes fires. 

• Poor Segregation and Collection at Source: Most households and institutions mix all types of waste — organic, plastic, metal, biomedical — into a single bin. This mixed waste is difficult to recycle or treat, forcing much of it into open dumps. 

• Limited Infrastructure and Technology: Many cities still rely on open dumping instead of scientific landfills. Waste-to-energy and composting plants often fail because they receive unsegregated or poor-quality waste. 

• Social and Occupational Challenges: A large portion of India’s waste is handled by informal workers — waste pickers, recyclers, and rag pickers — who operate without safety gear or recognition. 

• Weak Governance and Institutional Gaps: Responsibility for waste management is often divided between different municipal departments and private contractors, leading to poor coordination. 

What are the government initiatives for waste management in India?

Way Forward:

• Adopt Circular Economy Principles: Move from a linear model (produce → consume → discard) to a circular model (produce → consume → reuse/recycle → recover). Example: Pune’s SWaCH cooperative and Indore’s compost & biogas plants demonstrate circular recovery.
• Strengthen Governance and Institutions: Build capacity in municipal bodies and local authorities for planning, collection, and scientific disposal. Example: Indore’s success came from clear municipal responsibility and community engagement.
• Leverage Technology and Innovation: Adopt context-appropriate technologies for recycling, composting, and energy recovery. Example: Bidadi Waste-to-Energy plant near Bengaluru processes segregated waste efficiently.
• Promote Social Inclusion: Integrate informal waste workers into formal systems with training, protection, and recognition.
• Ensure Economic Sustainability: Develop models where waste management generates revenue through recycling, composting, and energy production. Example: Indore earns revenue from compost, biogas, and recyclables.

Conclusion:

Waste management in India is a complex, multidimensional challenge, involving environmental, social, and economic aspects. While significant progress has been made through government initiatives and innovative approaches, the path forward requires viewing waste as a resource, strengthening institutions, leveraging technology, and fostering citizen participation. A holistic, inclusive, and sustainable approach can transform India’s waste problem into an opportunity for wealth creation, energy recovery, and environmental resilience. 

Source: Down to Earth