What is solid waste and how is it managed?
Waste is collection of unwanted or used items normally heterogenous mass / materials arising from human activities which are no longer of any value. Solid waste management is that discipline associated with the control of generation, storage, collection, transfer, transport and disposal in a manner that is in accord with best principles of public health, economics, engineering, conservation, aesthetics and other environmental considerations. A detailed solid waste management system can be planned so that proper and efficient handling and disposal of waste take place.



What are biodegradable and non biodegradable wastes?
Biodegradables include waste from vegetable peelings, leftover food items and kitchen waste (excluding plastics, glass, aluminium wrappers). Non-biodegrables include paper, plastics, glass, metals, batteries, bulbs, tubelights, carry bags, bottles, dust/grit, etc.



Why should biodegradable and non biodegradable wastes be segregrated?
In nature biodegradable waste are acted upon microbes to convert them into compost which can be used as fertiliser for plants and trees. The non-biodegradable can be collected and reprocessed into usable items. For example, glass bottles can be collected separately and then can be reprocessed through melting to get back glass items. If the waste is mixed then neither can we get good compost or get any recycled /reprocessed product. Mixed waste is useless and has more of a nuisance value as it rots and smell bad. Hence, it is necessary to segregate it right from the place where it is generated, i.e. from the households itself.



How should waste segregation at household level take place?
As per the Municipal Solid Waste Rules, 2000; waste segregation at the source is a requirement. Every household will segregate waste into biodegradables and nonbiodegradables. To help the residents, every site can be provided with, as part of infrastructure, an area on the road side edge inside the site, a washout area with two dustbins - one for biodegradables and other for non-biodegradables.



How should waste be collected from households?
Waste will be collected on a daily basis from each household. No common street corner dumping space should permitted or visualised from clean environment point of view as well as for the success of infrastructure.







What is done of the collected waste?
The solid waste which has been collected in segregated form in the carts will be taken to a composting site located in the layout. Here, again the biodegradable solid waste collected will be inspected to see whether the segregation is proper and any accidental plastics or glass or metal will be removed to make it compactable for vermicomposting. The biodegrables will be taken for vermicomposting where earthworms will eat the waste and compost is generated. The non-degradables will be seperated into plastics, glass, and metals and sold to authorised recyclers. In case of materials which has no resale value or no takers, it will be taken to municipal solid waste landfill.



How is waste - a resource?
The vermi-compost which is generated with the help of earthworms from biodegradables like vegetable peels, leftover food, leaves, etc., can be used as fertiliser for the gardens. Earthworm castings are even richer in nutrients than compost, so they can be used more sparingly. Castings are rich in bacteria, calcium, iron, magnesium, and sulphur and 60 other trace minerals. Excess compost can be sold and help in monetary gain. The non biodegradable like glass, plastic and metals can be sold for recycling. This also is a monetary gain. Moreover, there is health and environmental gain as the surroundings are clean and hence there are less spread of diseases.