Waste segregation at source, still a work in progress

Waste Management in Bengaluru is an issue that cries for a proper solution. Many residents complain about the irregular timings of waste collection and the authorities always find efficient waste disposal a hard nut to crack. As the population increases, management is only getting tougher.

The recent Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) plan for in-house waste management in apartments has elicited mixed reactions from the citizens. DH takes a closer look, interacting with a cross-section of Bengalureans.

Ajay Thomas, a resident of Marathahalli supports the idea of in-situ waste management. But Ajay, who is a tax analyst by profession, hastens to add: “However, I doubt whether there is enough capability and waste management infrastructure in place at most of our apartments.”

Also Read:Garbage contractors call for strike, waste disposal at stake

He says it is high time that the authorities come up with an amendment to mandate the construction of in-house waste management systems for at least the larger housing structures. “To get started with this initiative and to get a positive response from the citizens, BBMP should provide technical support, financial assistance and conduct wider campaigns to educate the people,” he explains.

Deekshanya M S, who stays near Hosur Road says: “Strictly using green and blue bins to put biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes respectively in homes will make the process much easier. The garbage carter can collect the waste, segregate them as compostable, recyclable and disintegrable wastes. The compost can be reused as manure and biogas.”

Nithya M G, a student notes, “Waste management should follow a proper plan. The BBMP should educate people to segregate the degradable and biodegradable waste into bins with different colours so that children will also show interest in the process. The plan should be a step-by-step process, helping people to easily follow the segregation and management process.”

Municipal guidelines mandate that apartments should internally segregate their dry and wet waste. Composting units should be installed, and apartments that fail to install these units should hand over their segregated waste to the BBMP.

Kamal Pasha, a fashion designer has this to say: “Many apartment owners are not happy about it because of space and financial constraints, coordination issues and execution problems.”

“Apartments,” he says, “can do their bit by creating awareness about waste segregation at source and the concept of ‘Reduce-Reuse-Recycle’. They can train all maids and cooks to engage in door-to-door campaigns about the same. The most important aspect is the wet and dry waste segregation, which plays a major role.”

Drawing attention to waste management processes in developed countries, he says: “With a commitment to save society from the accumulation of waste originating from multiple sources, many foreign countries outsource it to waste collection companies. These firms offer them innovative and sustainable solutions for waste disposal.”

If BBMP is taking up the task, Kamal says, they can also install a fully automatic composting machine in every apartment. “The machine can generate 10 kg of compost out of 100 kg of wet garbage. It is the most effective and long-term solution to manage wet waste,” he points out.

Watch the latest DH Videos here: