WE MEAN TO CLEAN's Recommendations to Achieve a Swachh Bharat - II

In this blog series we attempt to cover all these aspects with our suggestions and recommendations towards achieiving a clean India or a Swachh Bharat. In our first part of this series we looked at an overview of the situation. Here we will try to look at waste management at a deeper level.

Separate Collection of the Waste

Waste is not waste until it is wasted.

If we separate waste at sources, we will earn, learn and save. This "Not In My Backyard (NIMBY)" syndrome amongst the uber users will receive a hard-hit from separation of biodegradable wastes at source which offers the opportunity of selling home-made compost. 

• When we eat, mow the lawn or prune trees, we produce waste. But this waste is a special type of waste. It can easily be transformed into a useful product that can enhance the quality of our soils, especially the soils that an intensive agricultural system is making less fertile. This product is compost.
• A successful separation of ‘clean’ waste from feed-stock for landfill sites, collected via separate collection is more likely to meet for suitable standards for recycled products for sale or use and bringing associated environmental benefits.
• Additionally, separating waste will raise the awareness of householders regarding waste generation and help develop a sense of responsibility for their waste. 
• This management route for biodegradable wastes has major advantages of environmental impacts of waste transport and handling as they are reduced.
• Many European countries have made it mandatory to collect segregated waste from source.

Composting: Usage and Benefits

Compost is an odourless, stable and humus-like material rich in organic matter as well as proteins and carbohydrates, which originates from organic wastes. 

• The transforming a putrescible, pungent and wet waste into an organic material smelling of soil and freshly turned earth is performed by nature. Bacteria, fungi and worms are all involved
• Composting methods target the biodegradable waste fractions of household waste which can include kitchen waste, such as vegetable and fruit peelings, and garden waste, such as grass and plant clippings
• We can actually feel blessed by either recycling cardboards, newspapers, copies or be a part of integrated waste recycle strategy by selling it to the Kabadiwalas or Raddiwalas

Public acceptability for composting schemes is also high in comparison with other technologies such as incineration or landfilling of wastes. Furthermore, it can also significantly contribute to meeting local recycling targets. In many countries, decentralized composting has been incentivized by the government and in turn has developed into a niche market.

One of our volunteers shares her experience of home composting in this blog.

Waste-collection Arrangements

There is a dire need for straightening the collection mechanism of the waste. A provision of a well-designed collection system, convenient for the householder, and suitable for use, will act as a crucial success factor.

• Separate collection of waste is crucial for the efficient collection and environment safety. Segregation into wet and dry waste will make it easier for every authority to work
• Householders, individuals and societies can act as nodes and points for the public private partnership schemes
• Our government can act through decentralization of policies and incentivize schemes for collection and composting
• Householders can buy containers or bags for the collection of compostable waste free of charge
• A network of professionals and volunteers can supervise in tandem with the government

In the next post we will look at some minor aspects that can have tremendous impact on our country's cleanliness.