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What Are Some Challenges Ahead Of India’s Fight Against Plastic?

Brushing our teeth with a plastic brush and toothpaste that comes in a plastic tube as soon as we wake up and take a bath using a plastic bucket and mug. Plastic is deeply embedded in a modern daily household. India generates approximately 9.46 million tonnes of plastic waste per year, an estimated 25,940 tonnes per day of plastic waste generation, as projected by Central Pollution Control Board. The government of India has banned the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, and sale of single-use plastic from 1st July 2022, in line with PM Modi’s call to phase out single-use plastic by 2022. India’s step to phase out single-use plastic is the most ambitious and revolutionary plan so far to tackle plastic pollution in the world. But India’s history of plastic regulations tells a different story. The first regulation to ban single-use plastic in India was enacted in 1999 when the sale of thin polythene bags was restricted. Afterwards, three national laws and various state legislatures have been enacted to phase out these products. But through various such steps taken in the last two decades, we have not able been to achieve the purpose. The immediate question rise after the ban is what are the alternatives? The government’s failure to identify and promote sustainable alternatives to SUPs is one of the major reasons for the failure of bans in the past. Plastic is cheaper than sustainable alternatives and small-scale manufacturers need government patronage, subsidies and supportive infrastructure to fill the gap of plastic in the market. The alternatives sector does not produce at a scale to enable businesses all over the country to make the environment-friendly transition very suddenly. The government needs to prepare the market for this major transition. It would also be a great opportunity to create new jobs. A sustainable initiative based in Uttar Pradesh-based sustainable cutlery brand manufacturing by utilising tons of sugarcane waste is an example of such sustainable options. They have a 50% workforce of local women and they pay to double the minimum labour wage. Outright bans without a comprehensive plan and poor enforcement have contributed to the failure of legislation in the past. The effect of the ban stays for a few days and as the media attention shifts away, authorities are no more interested in enforcing the law. There were no proper monitoring methods for the authorities for implementation. However, now Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has pointed out the problem and said that his ministry will set up control rooms to monitor the ban. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) seized more than 31,000 kg of plastic and levied fines worth Rs. 1.4 crore in 2018. Even after that, reports showed that plastic plates, spoons, cups, and polythene bags came back on the market very soon. In an order of the NGT in 2021, it was found that there was a huge gap in the preparation and execution of action plans for the implementation of the PWM Rules. Preparing local government and public mindset is an integral part of the phasing out of SUPs. It can’t be expected that an order is dictated and the next day everything will be at its place automatically. In metro cities, people are getting aware while making daily choices and practising waste segregation. But it remains a challenge to train the citizens of tier 2 and tier 3 cities. In Muzaffarpur city of Bihar, the Centre for Science and Environment along with ITC Ltd initiated a decentralised solid waste management program with Muzaffarpur Municipal Corporation (MMC) in 2017. Around 70 volunteers carried out a painstaking door-to-door awareness campaign in 87,000 households and MMC provided with two superior quality plastic bins (green for wet and blue for dry waste) to them. Currently, only a few per cent of the citizen in Muzaffarpur are practising waste segregation at home despite having two bins. Only a few months of awareness campaigns can’t help in a long-term transition and behavioural change. Such cities need a long-running citizen awareness program for success in the fight against single-use plastics, and the local municipal bodies need to be trained in proper waste management practices. Most states don’t have a reliable waste management ecosystem, including segregation, collection, and recycling system. Phasing out single-use plastic is a very daunting process and it requires a long-term vision, commitment and strategic planning. The government must learn from the mistakes in the past and carefully plan the transition into recyclables for the success of the ban. Featured image is for representational purposes only.

Stubble burning: Bleak winter looms as farmers say no to bio-decomposer use

After the Centre declined to contribute to the plan of Delhi and Punjab governments to incentivise farmers with Rs 2,500 per acre for not burning stubble — remains of rice harvest — winter in the capital this year may not turn out to be any better than the previous ones. The paddy harvesting season is almost at hand. Of the remaining two options of using seeders to plant wheat without ridding the field of the stubble — besides deploying other machinery — and employing bio-decomposers to degrade the remnants, the two state governments are in favour of the latter. The farmers, however, find the bio-decomposer impractical to use. This could pose a challenge for the AAP government in Delhi, which has earlier been critical of the Punjab and Haryana governments for not doing enough to control the farm fires which cause smog to envelop Delhi in winter. According to the Centre for Science and Environment, the first episode of smog is often triggered by large-scale stubble burning. Pusa solution takes a month to work, not ideal for short window between 2 crops Last winter had two to three-fold more rainfall than usual but Delhi recorded the longest smog episode in four years that lasted for 10 days. It had started building up from Diwali (November 4, 2021). Such acute smog episodes had lasted six days in the winter of 2018-19, eight days in 2019-20 and seven days in 2020-21. With the stubble being burned, there were a total of 25 severe or worse polluted days last winter as against 20 in the winter of 2020-21 and 25 in 2019-20. The Pusa decomposer, developed at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, is a microbial spray for in-situ management of crop stubble. It decomposes and converts the remains of the harvest into a natural nutrient for the soil. The problem, according to farmers, is that the decomposer takes 30 days or more to work when there is only a very small window between the rice harvest and the sowing of the wheat crop. For the cultivators, spraying bio-decomposers is an additional “impractical, useless step” that requires time and labour and increases worries due to the shortened window between the crops. So, while the crop residue management machinery, including seeders, may work to an extent, bio-decomposers are not practical for farmers. “It’s a big no for most of the farmers because they don’t have the time to spare,” said Gurmail Singh of Jasso Majra in Patiala district. “We would rather use machines. Those who can’t afford the special machines will be forced to resort to stubble burning.” The Delhi government has for the last few years tried to demonstrate the efficacy of the bio-decomposer solution by roping in farmers in Delhi without much success. Satyavan Sehrawat, a farmer in Dariyapur Kalan, northwest Delhi, who has begun harvesting his 40 acres of paddy, said the long time the Pusa decomposer took to work last year led to losses for those who tried it. “The decomposer takes at least 45 days to work. A farmer also has to ensure there is enough moisture in the field and employ a rotavator or plough to mulch the stubble into the soil. Since the decomposer is fungal, it gets activated only if there’s moisture in the field. Even two days of direct sunlight can spoil it,” he claimed. A couple of months ago, the AAP government in Punjab had prepared a plan with the party’s government in Delhi to provide a cash incentive of Rs 2,500 per acre to farmers for not burning the stalks of rice harvest, with an outlay of Rs 1,875 crore for farmers cultivating 75 lakh acres. The Punjab and Delhi governments were to pay Rs 500 per acre each (Rs 375 crore each) of the incentive with the Centre expected to contribute the remaining Rs 1,500 per acre. That plan has now been shelved. The Centre was, perhaps, apprehensive of the fact that if cash incentives were given to the Punjab farmers, similar demands would be made by farmers in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, where, too, rice harvest remnants are burned at the onset of winter. “The process of decomposing takes up to three weeks, which is the overall window between paddy harvesting and sowing of the new wheat crop,” pointed out Ajmer Singh Dhatt, research director, Punjab Agriculture University. Besides, the agriculture department has claimed it can make bio-decomposers available for trials in only 5,000 acres (2,023 hectares) while rice is cultivated in over 75 lakh acres (30 lakh hectares) in Punjab. The remnants of the rice harvest were burned in around 15.6 lakh hectares (51% of the cultivation area) last year though this was the lowest in the last few years, said experts. So far, Punjab has received Rs 1,145 crore as subsidy from the Centre for the CRM machinery and spent Rs 935 crore in providing 90,422 machines to farmers. These include seeders, the use of which does not require the field to be cleared of the remains of the previous harvest. For 2022-23, the state has got a subsidy of Rs 240 crore for 32,100 machines, taking the total subsidy to Rs 1,385 crore for 1.2 lakh machines. “Trials with decomposers were conducted at Pusa in Delhi. Two other privately prepared decomposers were also tried. It was found that if the solutions are mixed with water and sprayed on the crop stubble without ploughing the remnants into the soil, full decomposition doesn’t take place,” said Dhatt. “Such results could be obtained by using rotavators or other machinery.” He said, this entire process could take over 25 days, time that the farmers do not have. While Dhatt said that he would not recommend the use of bio-decomposers, Punjab agriculture director Gurvinder Singh said that more trials would be carried out, and if the results were encouraging, the area subjected to the method would be increased from the next season. “Subsidy has been provided for a sufficient number of machines to control the fires. Government officials and field staff have been asked to prevail upon farmers not to burn residue,” he said.

Bleak winter looms as farmers find bio-decomposer impractical

After the Centre declined to contribute to the Delhi and Punjab governments' plan to reward farmers with Rs 2,500 per acre for not burning stubble and rice harvest remnants, winter in the capital this year may not be any better than previous ones. The paddy harvesting season is rapidly approaching. The two state governments prefer the latter of the two remaining options: using seeders to plant wheat without removing the stubble — in addition to deploying other machinery — and using bio-decomposers to degrade the remnants. Farmers, on the other hand, find the bio-decomposer impractical to use, Times Of India reported. This could be a problem for the AAP government in Delhi, which has previously chastised the Punjab and Haryana governments for not doing enough to control farm fires, which cause smog to envelop the city during the winter. According to the Centre for Science and Environment, large-scale stubble burning is frequently the cause of the first episode of smog. The Pusa solution takes a month to work Last winter saw two to three times as much rain as usual, but Delhi experienced its longest smog episode in four years, lasting 10 days. It had begun to grow since Diwali (November 4, 2021). Such acute smog episodes lasted six days in the winter of 2018-19, eight days in the winter of 2019-20, and seven days in the winter of 2020-21. With the stubble burned, there were 25 severe or worse polluted days last winter, compared to 20 in 2020-21 and 25 in 2019-20. Home » India » Bleak winter looms as farmers... Bleak winter looms as farmers find bio-decomposer impractical News9 Staff News9 Staff Published On: 18 Sept 2022 10:34 AM Bleak winter looms as farmers find bio-decomposer impractical Image for representational purpose only. (Photo credit: Pixabay) Last winter saw two to three times as much rain as usual, but Delhi experienced its longest smog episode in four years, lasting 10 days. News According to the Centre for Science and Environment, large-scale stubble burning is frequently the cause of the first episode of smog. With the stubble burned, there were 25 severe or worse polluted days last winter, compared to 20 in 2020-21 and 25 in 2019-20. The Delhi government has tried unsuccessfully in recent years to demonstrate the efficacy of the bio-decomposer solution by enlisting the help of Delhi farmers. After the Centre declined to contribute to the Delhi and Punjab governments' plan to reward farmers with Rs 2,500 per acre for not burning stubble and rice harvest remnants, winter in the capital this year may not be any better than previous ones. The paddy harvesting season is rapidly approaching. The two state governments prefer the latter of the two remaining options: using seeders to plant wheat without removing the stubble — in addition to deploying other machinery — and using bio-decomposers to degrade the remnants. Farmers, on the other hand, find the bio-decomposer impractical to use, Times Of India reported. Also Read - Congress' Rahul dilemma continues, loyalists, state units mount pressure on him to take party's charge This could be a problem for the AAP government in Delhi, which has previously chastised the Punjab and Haryana governments for not doing enough to control farm fires, which cause smog to envelop the city during the winter. According to the Centre for Science and Environment, large-scale stubble burning is frequently the cause of the first episode of smog. The Pusa solution takes a month to work Last winter saw two to three times as much rain as usual, but Delhi experienced its longest smog episode in four years, lasting 10 days. It had begun to grow since Diwali (November 4, 2021). Such acute smog episodes lasted six days in the winter of 2018-19, eight days in the winter of 2019-20, and seven days in the winter of 2020-21. With the stubble burned, there were 25 severe or worse polluted days last winter, compared to 20 in 2020-21 and 25 in 2019-20. Also Read - Army issues tenders to buy guns, missiles and drones for emergency procurement The Pusa decomposer, created by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, is a microbial spray for crop stubble management in-situ. It decomposes and converts the harvest residue into a natural soil nutrient. Farmers complain that the decomposer takes 30 days or more to work when there is only a very short window between rice harvest and wheat crop sowing. Spraying bio-decomposers is an additional "impractical, useless step" for cultivators, requiring time and labour and increasing concerns due to the shortened window between crops. So, while crop residue management machinery such as seeders may be effective, bio-decomposers are not practical for farmers. "It's a big no for most of the farmers because they don't have the time to spare," said Gurmail Singh of Jasso Majra in Patiala district while interacting with Times of India. "We would rather use machines. Those who can't afford the special machines will be forced to resort to stubble burning." The Delhi government has tried unsuccessfully in recent years to demonstrate the efficacy of the bio-decomposer solution by enlisting the help of Delhi farmers. Satyavan Sehrawat, a farmer in Dariyapur Kalan, northwest Delhi, who has started harvesting his 40 acres of paddy, said the long time it took the Pusa decomposer to work last year cost those who tried it money. "The decomposer takes at least 45 days to work. A farmer also has to ensure there is enough moisture in the field and employ a rotavator or plough to mulch the stubble into the soil. Since the decomposer is fungal, it gets activated only if there's moisture in the field. Even two days of direct sunlight can spoil it," he claimed. A few months ago, the AAP government in Punjab collaborated with the party's government in Delhi to offer farmers a cash incentive of Rs 2,500 per acre for not burning rice harvest stalks, with an outlay of Rs 1,875 crore for farmers cultivating 75 lakh acres. The Punjab and Delhi governments were to contribute Rs 500 per acre (Rs 375 crore), with the Centre expected to contribute the remaining Rs 1,500 per acre. That plan has since been abandoned. Perhaps the Centre was concerned that if cash incentives were given to Punjab farmers, similar demands would be made by farmers in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, where rice harvest remnants are also burned at the start of winter. "The process of decomposing takes up to three weeks, which is the overall window between paddy harvesting and sowing of the new wheat crop," pointed out Ajmer Singh Dhatt, research director, Punjab Agriculture University. Furthermore, the agriculture department claims that it can make bio-decomposers available for trials on only 5,000 acres (2,023 hectares), despite the fact that rice is grown on over 75 lakh acres (30 lakh hectares) in Punjab. According to experts, the remnants of the rice harvest were burned in around 15.6 lakh hectares (51% of the cultivation area) last year, which was the lowest in recent years. So far, Punjab has received Rs 1,145 crore in Centre subsidies for CRM machinery and has spent Rs 935 crore on providing 90,422 machines to farmers. These include seeders, which do not require the field to be cleared of the previous harvest's remains. The state has received a subsidy of Rs 240 crore for 32,100 machines for 2022-23, bringing the total subsidy to Rs 1,385 crore for 1.2 lakh machines. "Trials with decomposers were conducted at Pusa in Delhi. Two other privately prepared decomposers were also tried. It was found that if the solutions are mixed with water and sprayed on the crop stubble without ploughing the remnants into the soil, full decomposition doesn't take place," said Dhatt. "Such results could be obtained by using rotavators or other machinery." According to him, the entire process could take more than 25 days, which the farmers do not have. While Dhatt stated that he would not recommend the use of bio-decomposers, Punjab agriculture director Gurvinder Singh stated that more trials would be conducted, and if the results were encouraging, the area subjected to the method would be expanded beginning with the following season. "Subsidy has been provided for a sufficient number of machines to control the fires. Government officials and field staff have been asked to prevail upon farmers not to burn residue," he said.

Alternative waste disposal plan key to clear landfills: CSE

While MCD is currently undertaking a biomining project to clear the landfill sites and 5.5 million tons legacy waste has been removed from the landfill sites, the three sites hold around 280 lakh tons of waste accumulated over the last four decades Even as the landfill sites of the Delhi are at the centre of the ongoing tussle between AAP and BJP, the Centre for Science and Environment on Thursday organized national symposium and released reports legacy waste management and dumpsite remediation chalking out ideal practices for flattening of the dumpsites across the country. The report titled ‘Legacy waste management and dumpsite remediation to support SBM2.0’ also compares the composition of legacy waste in different dumpsites across the country. Delhi’s landfills for instance have 72% fine fractions of soil/sand like material, 23% stones, 4% scrap polymeric and combustible material with 1% miscellaneous fraction. In comparison, the Mumbai landfill has just 45% fine fraction while Ahmedabad has 44% fine fractions. The combustible fraction and stone fractions are higher at the two landfills. “The fractions tell us where we went wrong in beginning. One of the largest fractions is stones which highlights the need to tackle C&D waste processing problem. Most important is fine fraction which is mineralized bio-degradable organic waste. Our ability to do away with this large fraction has to deal with removing wet waste from the stream completely,” Narain said. Delhi which sends almost half of its waste to landfill sites, has been ranked 23rd out 33 states and union territories with 10 states like Orissa, Rajasthan, Assam and Haryana having more percentage of waste being landfilled. Out of the total 11,120 tons of waste generated by the city, the corporation dumps 5100-5600 tonnes in the three landfill sites CSE director Sunita Narain, while releasing the report, said the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 is a game changer in terms of focus on segregation but there are some missing pieces. “We still have a tipping fee for taking garbage to landfill which creates incentive for people to bring large amounts of waste to landfill as payment is based on weight. If we could have landfill tax instead of tipping fee-creating the opposite to charge to bring waste to landfill,” she said. Narain added that kabadiwalas and recyclers need to be at the central in the master plan not situated far away in corner of the city. The toolkit also lists out model steps for carrying out remediation of dumpsites but Delhi’s example is cited in example which can lead to “systemic failure of remediation work.” “It is practically impossible to remediate a legacy waste dumpsite if the city keeps adding fresh waste to the site. Cases like Ghazipur, when a dumpsite receives more fresh waste every day than the quantity of legacy waste it treats, lead to systemic failure of the remediation work,” the report states. Atin Biswas, a waste management expert and program director of municipal solid waste sector in Centre for Science and Environment, said that it is also imperative to prevent fresh waste from reaching existing dumpsites to ensure the reclaimed lands are never lost again. “SBM 2.0 Mission mandate for every Indian city is to stop as much as 80 per cent of its waste from reaching a dumpsite by the end of 2026. Unless the underlying problem of culture of dumping fresh waste is removed, the biomining project will continue to face trouble. Even if you remove entire mountain of waste, they will be standing before a fresh waste mountain. Unless we remove food waste from this cycle which is 60% of net quantity no significant progress can be made,” he added. Richa Singh, deputy programme manager at CSE said: “It is important to note that legacy waste dumpsite remediation projects in India concern themselves not only with legacy waste dumpsites, but also with any unscientifically managed dumpsite that is relatively young.” Roopa Mishra, joint secretary, Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) said that every Central government program and policy was aimed towards a singular aim: “making Indian cities garbage-free”. “As part of this objective, the ministry has initiated a number of projects and schemes to encourage city administrations, one of which is a star rating and certification for garbage-free cities,” she added. While MCD is currently undertaking a biomining project to clear the landfill sites and 5.5 million tons legacy waste has been removed from the landfill sites, the three sites hold around 280 lakh tons of waste accumulated over the last four decades. Launched in 1984, the Ghazipur landfill is the biggest garbage dump in the city and it holds more than 140 lakh tons of waste. The Bhalswa and Okhla landfills were started in 1994. All three sites have exhausted their capacity but the garbage continues to be dumped due to lack of new site being allocated to MCD, officials have said. HT had recently highlighted that due to continued dumping of fresh waste and current pace Delhi’s biomining project may take up to 197 years to complete.

CSE lays down roadmap for making Indian cities garbage-free

The term ‘legacy waste’ has received close attention in the wake of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 2.0 which aims to make Indian cities “garbage-free”. The Mission mandates that cities in India should clear legacy waste sites, reclaim the land, and prevent more waste from reaching dumpsites – with 1,300 million tonne of legacy waste lying in more than 3,000 dumpsites in the country, it is an onerous, but doable, task,” said Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), here today. She was speaking at a national symposium organised by CSE on legacy waste management and dumpsite remediation. Participants at the symposium, who included waste management practitioners, regulators, government functionaries, scientists, experts and industry representatives, were also addressed by the symposium’s chief guest, Roopa Mishra, joint secretary, Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), among others. Legacy waste Explains Atin Biswas, programme director, solid waste management unit, CSE: “Although the term ‘legacy waste’ has not been defined in any official government document in India, it typically refers to old municipal solid waste in landfills or dumpsites. There is no set standard to define how old waste qualifies to be called legacy waste. Legacy waste is usually a mix of partially or completely decomposed biodegradable waste, plastic waste, textiles, metals, glass and other components.” Richa Singh, the unit’s deputy programme manager at CSE, pointed out: “It is important to note that legacy waste dumpsite remediation projects in India concern themselves not only with legacy waste dumpsites, but also with any unscientifically managed dumpsite that is relatively young. The agenda is to clear unscientifically designed and mismanaged dumpsites that might be causing or can cause long-term environmental and public health hazards. Majority of Indian landfills have completely run out of space having been overused and housing millions of tonnes of legacy waste which not only poses threat to the environment but also to human health, livelihoods and economy.” Action initiated Delivering her address at the symposium, Roopa Mishra stressed on the fact that every Central government programme and policy was primed towards a singular aim: “making Indian cities garbage-free”. As part of this objective, the ministry has initiated a number of projects and schemes to encourage city administrations, one of which is a star rating and certification for garbage-free cities. Earlier, CSE’s Richa Singh – in her presentation — outlined the government’s deliberate initiatives in legacy waste management: “The MoHUA has recognised the fact that unlined dumpsites are causing air and water pollution and creating long-term environmental and health hazards. The operational guidelines of SBM 2.0 make it mandatory for cities with a population of less than one million to clear legacy waste sites by March 31, 2023 and cities with a population of over one million to reclaim the lost land by March 31, 2024.” She added: “In addition, MoHUA has committed substantial financial devolution to support the cities to meet the cost of legacy dumpsite remediation. As much as Rs 1,41,600 crore has been committed in the Union budget to support the mandate under SBM 2.0 – this is the single largest investment in a flagship sanitation programme in independent India.” According to Singh, the cost for dumpsite remediation in India will add up to Rs 1,04,000 crore, as per estimates done by CSE. Says Biswas: “SBM 2.0 mandates every urban local body to prepare a City Solid Waste Action Plan (CSWAP) for seeking funding and a City Sanitation Action Plan (CSAP) to avail the grant for sustainable sanitation. There are clear benchmarks in the performance-linked financial devolution to ensure that every urban settlement achieves a certain milestone before it becomes eligible for the next tranche of money.” CSE researchers point out that the national mandate has created a huge momentum to deal with the legacy waste lying in dumpsites. Says Biswas: “It is also imperative to prevent fresh waste from reaching existing dumpsites to ensure the reclaimed lands are never lost again. The Mission mandate for every Indian city is to stop as much as 80 per cent of its waste from reaching a dumpsite by the end of 2026.” “Waste is a resource,” says Narain. “We should not ‘waste’ our waste, but reuse and recycle it. Even as cities in India start focusing on remediation of their legacy waste, it would be critical to ensure gainful application and final disposal of the extracted fractions received from the existing garbage mountains.” The way ahead The CSE toolkit on legacy waste management offers the following steps in the roadmap: Develop a sustainable solid waste management plan. It should be based on the principles of resource recovery and circular economy while ensuring that no fresh waste finds its way to the dumpsites. Ensure maximum utlisation of recovered fractions. Proper stabilisation and treatment of legacy waste is critical. Reuse the reclaimed land sustainably on the basis of a comprehensive policy and protocol. Develop standards for gainful use of recovered fractions, to guard against the presence of toxins and contaminants in them. Incentivise management of recovered materials. A sustainable business model needs to be developed for legacy waste businesses. Build capacity of urban departments and their officials. Ensure construction and sustainable operation of sanitary landfills.

CSE lays down roadmap for making Indian cities garbage-free

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has laid down a roadmap for making Indian cities garbage free. The CSE said that a sustainable solid waste management plan should be developed. It should be based on the principles of resource recovery and circular economy while ensuring that no fresh waste finds its way to the dumpsites. “Ensure maximum utilization of recovered fractions. Proper stabilisation and treatment of legacy waste is critical. Reuse the reclaimed land sustainably on the basis of a comprehensive policy and protocol,” the center said. The center further said that the government should develop standards for gainful use of recovered fractions, to guard against the presence of toxins and contaminants in them. “A sustainable business model needs to be developed for legacy waste businesses. Build capacity of urban departments and their officials. Ensure construction and sustainable operation of sanitary landfills,” the environment body added. While speaking on the national symposium on legacy waste management and dumpsite remediation, Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “The Mission mandates that cities in India should clear legacy waste sites, reclaim the land, and prevent more waste from reaching dumpsites – with 1,300 million tonne of legacy waste lying in more than 3,000 dumpsites in the country, it is an onerous, but doable, task.” Atin Biswas, programme director, solid waste management unit, CSE: “Although the term ‘legacy waste’ has not been defined in any official government document in India, it typically refers to old municipal solid waste in landfills or dumpsites. There is no set standard to define how old waste qualifies to be called legacy waste. Legacy waste is usually a mix of partially or completely decomposed biodegradable waste, plastic waste, textiles, metals, glass and other components.” Richa Singh, the unit’s deputy programme manager at CSE, pointed out: “It is important to note that legacy waste dumpsite remediation projects in India concern themselves not only with legacy waste dumpsites, but also with any unscientifically managed dumpsite that is relatively young. The agenda is to clear unscientifically designed and mismanaged dumpsites that might be causing or can cause long-term environmental and public health hazards.” “Majority of Indian landfills have completely run out of space having been overused and housing millions of tonnes of legacy waste which not only poses threat to the environment but also to human health, livelihoods and economy,” Singh said.

CSE releases roadmap for legacy waste management, dumpsite remediation

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Thursday released a roadmap for legacy waste management in a bid to support India’s garbage-free cities agenda. The CSE’s seven-point roadmap includes developing a sustainable solid waste management plan, ensuring maximum utilisation of recovered fractions and reusing the reclaimed land sustainably on the basis of a comprehensive policy and protocol. The plan also includes developing standards for gainful use of recovered fractions, incentivising management of recovered materials, building capacity of urban departments and ensuring sustainable operation of sanitary landfills. “The term ‘legacy waste’ has received close attention in the wake of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 2.0 and it mandates that cities in India should clear legacy waste sites, reclaim the land and prevent more waste from reaching dumpsites. “With 1,300 million tonnes of legacy waste lying in more than 3,000 dumpsites in the country, it is an onerous but doable task,” CSE director general Sunita Narain said. Speaking at an event organised by the CSE on Legacy Waste Management and Dumpsite Remediation, Joint Secretary of Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry Roopa Mishra said the ministry has initiated a number of projects and schemes to encourage city administrations to make Indian cities garbage-free. “Every central government programme and policy is primed towards a singular aim – making Indian cities garbage-free. We have also initiated a number of projects and schemes to encourage the city administrations,” Mishra said. Atin Biswas, programme director of solid waste management unit at CSE, said, “Although the term ‘legacy waste’ has not been defined in any official government document in India, it typically refers to old municipal solid waste in landfills or dumpsites.” He said there is “no set standard” to define how old waste qualifies to be called legacy waste, which is usually a mix of partially or completely decomposed biodegradable waste, plastic waste, textiles, metals, glass and other components. According to CSE estimates, the cost for dumpsite remediation in India will add up to Rs 1,04,000 crore. “The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has committed substantial financial devolution to support the cities to meet the cost of legacy dumpsite remediation. As much as Rs 1,41,600 crore has been committed in the Union budget to support the mandate under SBM 2.0,” CSE’s Richa Singh said. At the event, Mishra and Narain released three new CSE publications. Waste management practitioners, regulators, government functionaries, scientists, experts and industry representatives, among others, participated in the event.

Legacy waste major concern, study suggests roadmap

A study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has highlighted the issue of landfills and legacy waste in mega cities, including Delhi. The national capital, despite directions and court orders, continues to suffer from three major unscientific landfill sites. The analysis suggested a roadmap to make the country garbage-free with separate toolkits to manage biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste. Timesview Dumping trash on waste mountains is environmentally damaging. We end up creating toxic hotspots whichare especially hazardous for those living within a certain radius. India must move towards a more systematic method of collection at source on a war footing, which would allow for better processing and recycling of garbage. Hopefully, the allotted funds will be efficiently utilised to that end. It pointed out that over 1,300 million tonnes of legacy waste were currently dumped across more than 3,000 dumpsites across the country. However, it saw hope in the commitment of Rs 1,41,600 crore by the ministry of housing and urban affairs to clean them up, the single largest investment in a flagship sanitation programme in India. While mentioning several landfills across India, the study specifically named the infamous landfills of Delhi — Bhalswa, Ghazipur and Okhla — which often catch fire due to methane release or lead to accidents. It stated that the three landfills have collectively caused nearly Rs 450 crore in damage to the environment over the years, yet not much has been done. “In 2021, Central Pollution Control Board, upon receiving directions from NGT, inspected the three dumpsites and found that though waste stabilisation through bioremediation was being practised, only 5% of the waste was processed,” mentioned the study. The report also asserted that Delhi dumped and treated about 50% of its total waste. Showing how old the issue of legacy waste was, it pointed to an IIT-Bombay analysis that estimated that Delhi’s landfills were made of about 72% of fine fraction (soil, sand-like material), 23% stones and about 4% scrap, polymeric and combustible material. “The composition of legacy waste varies according to the region and age of a dumpsite. For example, the proportion in Hyderabad and Delhi is nearly 75%, which indicates that the dumpsites are old and organic waste has degraded over many years. The quantity of recyclables depends on the activities of the informal sector engaged in extracting recyclables,” stated the report, adding that NGT’s direction came in July 2019. Ghazipur, the oldest landfill in Delhi that started in 1984, has estimated methane emissions of 18 to 264 mg/m2/h, which is very high. Both Bhalswa and Okhla started in 1994. “With 1,300 million tonnes of legacy waste lying in more than 3,000 dumpsites in the country, it is an onerous but doable task,” said Sunita Narain, director general, CSE. CSE’s roadmap stated that legacy waste was stressed upon in Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0, which mandates that cities should clear legacy waste sites, reclaim land and prevent more waste from reaching dumpsites. It also mentioned developing a sustainable solid waste management plan, ensuring maximum utilisation of recovered fractions and reusing the reclaimed land sustainably.

CSE releases roadmap for legacy waste management, dumpsite remediation

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Thursday released a roadmap for legacy waste management in a bid to support India's garbage-free cities agenda. The CSE's seven-point roadmap includes developing a sustainable solid waste management plan, ensuring maximum utilisation of recovered fractions and reusing the reclaimed land sustainably on the basis of a comprehensive policy and protocol. The plan also includes developing standards for gainful use of recovered fractions, incentivising management of recovered materials, building capacity of urban departments and ensuring sustainable operation of sanitary landfills. ''The term 'legacy waste' has received close attention in the wake of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 2.0 and it mandates that cities in India should clear legacy waste sites, reclaim the land and prevent more waste from reaching dumpsites. ''With 1,300 million tonnes of legacy waste lying in more than 3,000 dumpsites in the country, it is an onerous but doable task,'' CSE director general Sunita Narain said. Speaking at an event organised by the CSE on Legacy Waste Management and Dumpsite Remediation, Joint Secretary of Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry Roopa Mishra said the ministry has initiated a number of projects and schemes to encourage city administrations to make Indian cities garbage-free. ''Every central government programme and policy is primed towards a singular aim - making Indian cities garbage-free. We have also initiated a number of projects and schemes to encourage the city administrations,'' Mishra said. Atin Biswas, programme director of solid waste management unit at CSE, said, ''Although the term 'legacy waste' has not been defined in any official government document in India, it typically refers to old municipal solid waste in landfills or dumpsites.'' He said there is ''no set standard'' to define how old waste qualifies to be called legacy waste, which is usually a mix of partially or completely decomposed biodegradable waste, plastic waste, textiles, metals, glass and other components. According to CSE estimates, the cost for dumpsite remediation in India will add up to Rs 1,04,000 crore. ''The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has committed substantial financial devolution to support the cities to meet the cost of legacy dumpsite remediation. As much as Rs 1,41,600 crore has been committed in the Union budget to support the mandate under SBM 2.0,'' CSE's Richa Singh said. At the event, Mishra and Narain released three new CSE publications. Waste management practitioners, regulators, government functionaries, scientists, experts and industry representatives, among others, participated in the event.

CSE releases roadmap for legacy waste management dumpsite remediation

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Thursday released a roadmap for legacy waste management in a bid to support India's garbage-free cities agenda. The CSE's seven-point roadmap includes developing a sustainable solid waste management plan, ensuring maximum utilisation of recovered fractions and reusing the reclaimed land sustainably on the basis of a comprehensive policy and protocol. The plan also includes developing standards for gainful use of recovered fractions, incentivising management of recovered materials, building capacity of urban departments and ensuring sustainable operation of sanitary landfills. "The term 'legacy waste' has received close attention in the wake of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 2.0 and it mandates that cities in India should clear legacy waste sites, reclaim the land and prevent more waste from reaching dumpsites. "With 1,300 million tonnes of legacy waste lying in more than 3,000 dumpsites in the country, it is an onerous but doable task," CSE director general Sunita Narain said. Speaking at an event organised by the CSE on Legacy Waste Management and Dumpsite Remediation, Joint Secretary of Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry Roopa Mishra said the ministry has initiated a number of projects and schemes to encourage city administrations to make Indian cities garbage-free. "Every central government programme and policy is primed towards a singular aim - making Indian cities garbage-free. We have also initiated a number of projects and schemes to encourage the city administrations," Mishra said. Atin Biswas, programme director of solid waste management unit at CSE, said, "Although the term 'legacy waste' has not been defined in any official government document in India, it typically refers to old municipal solid waste in landfills or dumpsites." He said there is "no set standard" to define how old waste qualifies to be called legacy waste, which is usually a mix of partially or completely decomposed biodegradable waste, plastic waste, textiles, metals, glass and other components. According to CSE estimates, the cost for dumpsite remediation in India will add up to Rs 1,04,000 crore. "The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has committed substantial financial devolution to support the cities to meet the cost of legacy dumpsite remediation. As much as Rs 1,41,600 crore has been committed in the Union budget to support the mandate under SBM 2.0," CSE's Richa Singh said. At the event, Mishra and Narain released three new CSE publications. Waste management practitioners, regulators, government functionaries, scientists, experts and industry representatives, among others, participated in the event.

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट ने कचरा प्रबंधन के लिए जारी किया रोडमैप, लैंडफिल साइट्स पर 130 करोड़ टन कूड़ा

भारत के कचरा-मुक्त शहरों के एजेंडे के समर्थन के तहत सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट (सीएसई) ने कचरा प्रबंधन के लिए एक रोडमैप जारी किया। सीएसई के सात-ङ्क्षबदु वाले रोडमैप में एक स्थायी ठोस अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन योजना विकसित करना, कचरे के अंशों का अधिकतम उपयोग सुनिश्चित करना और एक व्यापक नीति तथा प्रोटोकॉल के आधार पर पुन: प्राप्त भूमि का स्थायी रूप से फिर से उपयोग करना शामिल है। योजना में कचरे के प्राप्त अंशों के लाभकारी उपयोग के लिए विकासशील मानक, प्राप्त सामग्री के प्रबंधन को प्रोत्साहित करना, शहरी विभागों का क्षमता निर्माण और स्वास्थ्य के लिहाज से उचित लैंडफिल के स्थायी संचालन को सुनिश्चित करना शामिल है। सीएसई की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने कहा, च्च्स्वच्छ भारत मिशन (एसबीएम) 2.0 के मद्देनजर 'विरासत अपशिष्टÓ शब्द पर करीब से ध्यान दिया गया है और यह अनिवार्य है कि भारत के शहरों को विरासत अपशिष्ट स्थलों (पहले से बने लैंडफिल) को साफ करना चाहिए, भूमि को पुन: प्राप्त करना चाहिए और अधिक कचरे को लैंडफिल तक पहुंचने से रोकना चाहिए।ÓÓ उन्होंने कहा, देश में 3000 कचरे के मैदानों में 130 करोड़ टन कचरा पहले से मौजूद है, यह एक कठिन लेकिन किया जा सकने वाला काम है। सीएसई द्वारा लेगेसी वेस्ट मैनेजमेंट और डंपसाइट रेमेडिएशन पर आयोजित एक कार्यक्रम में आवास और शहरी मामलों के मंत्रालय की संयुक्त सचिव रूपा मिश्रा ने कहा कि मंत्रालय ने भारतीय शहरों को कचरा मुक्त बनाने के लिए शहर प्रशासन को प्रोत्साहित करने के वास्ते कई परियोजनाएं और योजनाएं शुरू की हैं। सीएसई के आकलन के मुताबिक भारत में लैंडफिल के पुनर्शोधन पर 1,04,000 करोड़ रुपये का खर्च आएगा।

कवायद : शहरों के माथे से हटेगा 130 करोड़ टन कचरे का बोझ, 3000 डंपिंग ग्राउंड बनेंगे, खर्च होंगे 1.41 लाख करोड़

देश के हर चमकते शहर के सिर पर पल रहे कचरे के पहाड़ के बोझ को उतारने की योजना बनाई गई है। देशभर के शहरों में 3,000 से ज्यादा डंपिंग ग्राउंड से 130 करोड़ टन कचरे को हमेशा के लिए साफ कर इस जमीन को शहर के लिए फिर से मुहैया कराया जाएगा। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) ने बृहस्पतिवार को देश को मुक्त भारत बनाने की रूपरेखा पेश की। सरकार ने इन डंपिंग ग्राउंडों को स्वच्छ व उपचारित करने के लिए 1,41,600 करोड़ रुपये आवंटित किए हैं। स्वतंत्र भारत में स्वच्छता कार्यक्रम के तहत यह सबसे बड़ा निवेश है। सीएसई ने शहरों को कचरा मुक्त करने के लिए तीन दस्तावेज पेश किए। इनमें स्वच्छ भारत मिशन 2.0 का समर्थन करने के लिए विरासती कचरा प्रबंधन, डंपसाइट उपचार टूलकिट और शहरों की ठोस कचरा कार्ययोजना पेश की गई है। विरासती कचरे पर सीएसई की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने कहा, यह शब्द (लैगेसी वेस्ट या विरासती कचरा) स्वच्छ भारत अभियान 2.0 के चलते चर्चा में आया है, जिसके मुताबिक यह तय किया गया है कि भारत के शहरों के सभी पुराने डंपिंग ग्रांउंड साफ होने चाहिए। इसके साथ ही डंपिंग ग्राउंड की जमीन उपयोगी बनाने और वहां फिर से कचरा जमा नहीं होने का प्रबंध करना होगा। उन्होंने कहा कि इस कचरे को खत्म करना और डंपिंग ग्राउंडों को साफ कर उपयोगी बनाना बेहद चुनौतीपूर्ण काम है। सीएसई की तरफ से योजना पेश करने के दौरान आवास व शहरी मामलों के मंत्रालय की संयुक्त सचिव रूपा मिश्रा ने बताया कि मंत्रालय ने कई परियोजनाएं व योजनाएं शुरू की हैं, जिनके तहत शहरी प्रशासन को इसके लिए प्रोत्साहित किया जा रहा है, ताकि वे देश को कचरा मुक्त बनाने की पहल में शामिल हों। वहीं, सीएसई के ठोस कचरा प्रबंधन कार्यक्रम के निदेशक अतिन बिस्वास ने कहा, विरासती कचरे की कोई आधिकारिक परिभाषा नहीं है, न इसका कोई पैमाना है, जिससे यह तय किया जाए कि कितना पुराना और किस तरह का कचरा विरासती कचरा माना जाए। मोटे तौर पर शहरों के ऐसे डंपिंग ग्राउंड विरासती कचरे की श्रेणी में आते हैं, जहां हर तरह का कचरा स्थायी तौर पर छोड़ दिया जाता है। कचरे से मुक्ति के मंत्र सीएसई ने विरासती कचरे से जुड़ी टूलकिट के तहत सात बिंदुओं के तहत एक स्थायी ठोस अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन योजना पेश की है। स्थायी ठोस अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन योजना विकसित करना कचरे का अधिकतम उपयोग व उपचार कचरा मुक्त जमीन को उपयोगी बनाना कचरे के लाभकारी उपयोग के लिए मानक तय करना कचरे से उपयोगी सामग्री के प्रबंधन को प्रोत्साहन देना शहरी विभागों व कार्मिकों में क्षमता निर्माण सैनिटरी लैंडफिल का निर्माण व संवहनीय संचालन

Bad air alert: Why we fail to tackle killer winter pollution year after year

In roughly a month, toxic air pollution will leave Delhi gasping again. But why have authorities failed to address this annual health emergency despite so much noise? And what needs to be done now? On Tuesday, many of us happily shared on social media photographs of Delhi’s clear and blue skyline. In roughly a month, the picture might dramatically change. ADVERTISING From mid-October, like in previous years, a blanket of smog is likely to leave millions in Delhi and the rest of North India coughing and gasping for breath. Respiratory units of hospitals will get crowded. Politics will peak. The courts will reprimand the Centre and states. If pollution levels go off the charts like they often do schools will be shut, construction activity will halt and the road space-rationing scheme called Odd-Even will roll out. During the one-month period, we will basically hold our breath till the skies clear again -- after a few deaths and several cases of lung damage. But everything will be forgotten in the din of crucial state elections that await us. Little surprise that International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies (September 7) often goes under our radar, despite Delhi frequently ranking as the most polluted city in the world, with a rising death toll and age-reducing health complications. The previous generation cherished winters with Gulzar’s “jaadon ki narm dhoop” waali warm poetry. We now identify more with Shahryar’s rather dark description of the human condition: “Seene me jalan, aankhon mein toofan sa kyun hai” Or we make memes showing inhaling the air in Delhi during winters is like smoking, say, 20 cigarettes a day. WHAT’S BEHIND IT? But exactly what causes this mayhem? Government authorities keep commissioning inquiries and investigations, which are never conclusive. Chasing that elusive single factor becomes an excuse for inaction, many would argue. However, here is what is apparent to the naked eye. Since the monsoon is over and there is hardly any wind speed, this deadly cocktail doesn’t get cleared up. It’s the time of year when weather changes. The smoke from farm fires, coal-fired power plants, garbage burning, Diwali fireworks, besides vehicular and industrial emissions, get trapped in the fog to cause smog. Since the monsoon is over and there is hardly any wind speed, this deadly cocktail doesn’t get cleared up. But farm fires, primarily in Punjab but also in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been blamed the most for the winter smog in Delhi and the rest of North India. During the Kharif season, paddy is sown on three million hectares of land in Punjab, resulting in roughly 20 million tonnes of paddy crop residue every year. Half of it is mixed in the soil or used as fuel. The rest is burnt, usually from October 15 to November 15, because burning is a fast and economical way for farmers to clear the fields for the sowing of the Rabi season wheat crop. The time taken is crucial because the sowing window is short. Till last winter, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal blamed Punjab for turning the national capital into "a gas chamber". This will not be possible now because his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has replaced the Congress in Punjab as the ruling party. So, are things looking up now? Far from it. HEARTBURN AGAIN This time, Punjab sought Rs 1,125 crore from the BJP-ruled Centre to provide a cash incentive for farmers not to burn crop stubble. Punjab and Delhi wanted to contribute Rs 375 on their parts. Reports say that the Centre has rejected the proposal. “The cash incentive per acre will have to be reduced from the proposed Rs 2,500 to Rs 1,000,” said an AAP source. And this means fewer farmers will be encouraged not to set their farms on fire. Union agriculture ministry sources said that the Centre is doing its part and Punjab must do the rest. "We have sanctioned Rs 275 crore for supplying over 32,000 subsidised machines to manage paddy straw. In the past four years, we have provided Rs 1,145 crore for 90,000 such subsidised machines," said a source. The geography of Delhi-NCR makes it especially vulnerable to farm fires. Paddy is not a traditional or appropriate crop in the region where it is currently being raised primarily as a cash crop. “But paddy stalk is an organic material which is of use, maybe not economical for the farmer. And it is here that government authorities must come in and procure the stalk, even at a loss, for human and animal health cannot be compromised,” environmentalist Manoj Misra told IndiaToday.in. The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) are buying crop stubble from farmers for power generation and biofuel creation, respectively. This clearly needs to be scaled up. “Farms will need both in-situ and ex-situ measures to add value to straw. Leverage this crisis to build strategic opportunities for green recovery,” Anumita Roy Chowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), told IndiaToday.in.

CSE releases roadmap for legacy waste management, dumpsite remediation

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Thursday released a roadmap for legacy waste management in a bid to support India's garbage-free cities agenda. The CSE's seven-point roadmap includes developing a sustainable solid waste management plan, ensuring maximum utilisation of recovered fractions and reusing the reclaimed land sustainably on the basis of a comprehensive policy and protocol. The plan also includes developing standards for gainful use of recovered fractions, incentivising management of recovered materials, building capacity of urban departments and ensuring sustainable operation of sanitary landfills. "The term 'legacy waste' has received close attention in the wake of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 2.0 and it mandates that cities in India should clear legacy waste sites, reclaim the land and prevent more waste from reaching dumpsites. "With 1,300 million tonnes of legacy waste lying in more than 3,000 dumpsites in the country, it is an onerous but doable task," CSE director general Sunita Narain said. Speaking at an event organised by the CSE on Legacy Waste Management and Dumpsite Remediation, Joint Secretary of Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry Roopa Mishra said the ministry has initiated a number of projects and schemes to encourage city administrations to make Indian cities garbage-free. "Every central government programme and policy is primed towards a singular aim - making Indian cities garbage-free. We have also initiated a number of projects and schemes to encourage the city administrations," Mishra said. Atin Biswas, programme director of solid waste management unit at CSE, said, "Although the term 'legacy waste' has not been defined in any official government document in India, it typically refers to old municipal solid waste in landfills or dumpsites." He said there is "no set standard" to define how old waste qualifies to be called legacy waste, which is usually a mix of partially or completely decomposed biodegradable waste, plastic waste, textiles, metals, glass and other components. According to CSE estimates, the cost for dumpsite remediation in India will add up to Rs 1,04,000 crore. "The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has committed substantial financial devolution to support the cities to meet the cost of legacy dumpsite remediation. As much as Rs 1,41,600 crore has been committed in the Union budget to support the mandate under SBM 2.0," CSE's Richa Singh said. At the event, Mishra and Narain released three new CSE publications.