Waste segregation at source is non-negotiable for Bengaluru

Bengaluru generates nearly 6,000 tonnes of waste every day. To manage this, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has set up several processing facilities. These include eight large-scale composting facilities with capacities ranging from 100 to 500 tonnes per day (TPD) for wet waste and a 600 TPD waste-to-energy plant at Bidadi for dry waste. Waste-to-energy plants burn low-quality dry waste to generate heat, which is then converted to steam and electricity. At the ward level, smaller biogas plants, composting units, and Dry Waste Collection Centres (DWCCs), with 1–10 TPD capacity, also operate. BBMP also plans to add four more 1,000 TPD plants to manage growing waste volumes.

Despite this infrastructure, much of the city’s waste still ends up in landfills due to poor segregation at source and weak enforcement.

While concerns like cost, odour, and public resistance affect processing facilities, the biggest barrier is mixed waste. Infrastructure issues can be solved with technology and funds, but segregation demands citizen participation and sustained behavioural change campaigns. Without this, even the best waste processing facilities cannot operate efficiently. For example, the waste-to-energy plant requires dry waste with low moisture and a higher calorific value (i.e., heat generated when burnt). But mixed waste reduces heat output. Composting facilities also struggle with plastic contamination, which slows decomposition and leaves microplastics, making the compost less acceptable to consumers.

Most composting facilities receive mixed waste, and the Bidadi waste-to-energy plant operates at only 60-70% capacity. These problems are not technical; they stem from poor segregation at source.

To address this, Bengaluru needs more than just behavioural campaigns. A strong collection, transportation, and processing system must support these efforts.

Residents cannot be completely blamed for not segregating waste, as many are unaware of the complexities of waste management and the need for segregation. Their only interaction is with the collection vehicle, making it and the staff key influencers in driving change.

Collection vehicles should be clean, well-maintained, and painted with slogans promoting segregation. They must have clearly marked separate compartments for wet and dry waste, along with educational visuals. Currently, most vehicles have a single compactor and are in poor condition, which discourages segregation.

Collection staff must be trained. They should wear protective gear, follow fixed routes, and maintain consistent collection timings. In large cities like Bengaluru, where households run on tight schedules, erratic collection times can lead to non-compliance. If a vehicle comes at 7 a.m. one day and 9 a.m. the next, residents may resort to dumping unsegregated waste.

Exposure visits for collection staff to waste processing facilities can also help. When staff see the difficulties of managing mixed waste firsthand, they better understand their role and become more invested in promoting segregation.

Behavioural change requires sustained communication. Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns are essential. Campaigns could include street murals, wall paintings at key junctions, regular engagement with Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), ward meetings, collaborations with bulk waste generators, and sessions in schools and colleges. Social media outreach could also be highly effective.

The success of segregation at source depends on behavioural change, and the responsibility lies with both government and citizens. Behavioural change campaigns take time and repetition.

Cities like Indore, Mysuru, and Surat have made remarkable progress through clean vehicles, trained staff and consistent public messaging. Indore even tracks its collection vehicles using GPS to ensure timely and systematic service.

Smaller towns have shown that change is possible. In Chikkaballapura, Karnataka, with a population of 72,000, segregation at source improved from 20% to 60% in just one year. Under the City-Farmer Partnership project, segregated waste from households was supplied to farmers in nearby villages who composted it in pits on their land. Municipal vehicles were painted with awareness messages and fitted with loudspeakers, volunteers were deployed for five months, 25 school sessions were held, and open dumping points were cleared. Ward councillors played an active role in educating residents.

Small towns can manage semi-segregated waste due to lower volumes. But in large cities like Bengaluru, segregation at source is essential. With limited land and high waste generation, Bengaluru must adopt successful models from across India to ensure its composting and dry waste facilities function at full capacity.

BBMP must focus on three priorities: a well-monitored waste collection system, sustained behavioural change campaigns, and trained municipal staff.

(The writer is a solid waste management professional with the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, Bengaluru)