2017
Saha, Anindita Roy; Singh, Govind
Why is the Waste Sector Wasting Too Many Business Opportunities? A Case Study of Delhi, India Proceedings
International Society of Waste Management, Air and Water (ISWMAW), Hyderabad, Telangana, India, 2017.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Delhi, segregation, waste management
@proceedings{Saha2017,
title = {Why is the Waste Sector Wasting Too Many Business Opportunities? A Case Study of Delhi, India},
author = {Anindita Roy Saha and Govind Singh},
editor = {Sadhan Kumar Ghosh},
url = {http://urbanecology.in/files/papers/Saha-and-Singh-2017.pdf},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-12-15},
publisher = {International Society of Waste Management, Air and Water (ISWMAW)},
address = {Hyderabad, Telangana, India},
abstract = {Waste materials can be defined as substances that may no longer be required by one or a group of individuals. However, such materials may be of use for some other individuals or group of individuals. It is for this reason that the waste and junk management in some countries like USA is a billion dollar industry. The status of this sector in India, however, is far from satisfactory. This is despite the fact that India supports a large population and its cities are exhibiting high rates of resource consumption. For example Delhi, India’s National Capital Delhi generates 8,360 Metric Tonnes of solid waste every day. Most of this waste is eventually dumped in three landfill sites in Delhi at Bhalawa, Ghazipur and Okhla. Although Delhi’s population and solid waste generation capacity has increased consistently in the last two decades, the number of landfills has remained constant. As a result, all these three landfills are overflowing and are operating at 3-4 times their planned capacity. While the situation is considerably alarming, it is not being responded by taking adequate steps to address this problem. The administration maintains a business as usual approach even as the three landfills continue to increase in size each passing day. Two visible measures taken are the setting up of waste to energy plants and landscaping of the landfills. Waste to energy, in the absence of segregation of waste at source, comes with its own concerns. At the same time, landscaping of the landfill does not prevent it from contaminating the surface and ground water. Thus, while waste should be a resource yielding recyclable value for the economy, Delhi’s solid waste continues to add to the environmental problems of the city of Delhi. This research contributions presents a case study of the waste management sector in Delhi and attempts to identify the challenges being faced by the former that are preventing its growth.},
keywords = {Delhi, segregation, waste management},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}
Waste materials can be defined as substances that may no longer be required by one or a group of individuals. However, such materials may be of use for some other individuals or group of individuals. It is for this reason that the waste and junk management in some countries like USA is a billion dollar industry. The status of this sector in India, however, is far from satisfactory. This is despite the fact that India supports a large population and its cities are exhibiting high rates of resource consumption. For example Delhi, India’s National Capital Delhi generates 8,360 Metric Tonnes of solid waste every day. Most of this waste is eventually dumped in three landfill sites in Delhi at Bhalawa, Ghazipur and Okhla. Although Delhi’s population and solid waste generation capacity has increased consistently in the last two decades, the number of landfills has remained constant. As a result, all these three landfills are overflowing and are operating at 3-4 times their planned capacity. While the situation is considerably alarming, it is not being responded by taking adequate steps to address this problem. The administration maintains a business as usual approach even as the three landfills continue to increase in size each passing day. Two visible measures taken are the setting up of waste to energy plants and landscaping of the landfills. Waste to energy, in the absence of segregation of waste at source, comes with its own concerns. At the same time, landscaping of the landfill does not prevent it from contaminating the surface and ground water. Thus, while waste should be a resource yielding recyclable value for the economy, Delhi’s solid waste continues to add to the environmental problems of the city of Delhi. This research contributions presents a case study of the waste management sector in Delhi and attempts to identify the challenges being faced by the former that are preventing its growth.