From Waste to Resource: Co-Composting Practices in India and Bangladesh

March 02, 2026

Over the past decade, India has made significant progress in sanitation infrastructure through national missions such as the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), the Namami Gange Programme, and the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). These initiatives have expanded wastewater treatment capacity, yet a critical challenge remains—managing the growing volume of sludge and biosolids generated by treatment plants.

India has over 1,034 faecal sludge treatment plants (FSTPs)1 producing approximately 250 tonnes of biosolids daily. However, only 33 per cent of these facilities reuse biosolids, and a mere 8 per cent use them for co-composting.2 The rest often remain untreated or are disposed of improperly, posing environmental and health risks. Despite existing guidelines from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the absence of a comprehensive national policy on biosolids management and reuse standards for faecal sludge-derived biosolids leads to inconsistent practices across states. Additionally, public concerns about contamination, heavy metals, and high nitrogen levels hinder acceptance of biosolids reuse in agriculture.