Waste Management

Read our substantive coverage of urban waste management policy and practice to know more about waste segregation, reduction and recycling of waste, avoidance and management of plastic waste etc. Assess the efficacy of government policies such as waste to energy plants and stay informed about alternative solutions such as composting and zero waste initiatives. Case studies on successful and effective waste management at a local level, through a combination of citizen action and government policy, inspire readers and provide practical tips.

Chennai’s garbage : How realistic is the dream of a bin-free city?

by June 12, 2016

In a much-awaited move, the Greater Corporation of Chennai (GCC) is all set to launch its bin-less waste transfer process on a pilot basis in a few of the wards in its newly added areas, which would eventually be extended to cover all of the 15 zones. This would mean that GCC is planning to focus on source segregation and waste processing, instead of the current method of street bins being emptied into compactor trucks which transport the garbage to the dumping yards. As discussed in the first part of this story, lack of source segregation and waste processing mechanisms…

Read more

Chennai’s garbage: Long journey ahead to sustainable waste management

by May 2, 2016

 As the flood waters started to recede, one of the main issues that the city of Chennai grappled with in the aftermath of the recent floods was the clearing of tonnes of garbage strewn all across the city. Chennai Corporation employees with the help of volunteers cleared 1.32 lakh tonnes of garbage from the streets of Chennai. This was a grimy reminder of the impending crisis of solid waste management (SWM) faced by the residents of Chennai. According to The Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council (WTERT), the city generates 6,404 tonnes of garbage every day with an average per capita of…

Read more