When I tell people that I am in India researching waste management, the reaction I get usually goes something like, “What? Garbage?! Well, you’ll have plenty of material to study!”
Trash here is a visible part of life, thrown from windows, discarded on streets and clogged in sewage systems leaving the impression that the country is drowning in its own filth. Of course, this is a simplistic picture. Even as the amount of garbage in India increases, India’s generation of municipal solid waste still falls well below that of the United States, China, Russia, and much of Western Europe. India’s major challenges do not lie in how much waste is produced, but rather what it is made of, how it is handled, and where it is generated.
Overall, India’s waste is wet and rotting. Top estimates in 2005 by the Central Pollution Control Board of India put compostable matter from India’s major cities at 73%. In addition, the moisture present in waste is twice what you might find in your garbage can in the United States or Europe; not surprising given the more humid weather and environment. Due to this makeup, technological development for waste processing in India has historically been focused on composting and biomethanation. However, this is changing. The presence of recyclables like glass and plastic in India’s garbage have increased dramatically in the last 20 years, estimated in 2005 to be 20%. As India’s waste changes and grows, technology and processing efficiency must adjust and struggle to catch up.
In theory, promoting good sanitation and protecting the environment is a high priority for the State. In fact the Constitution of India maintains that every state is bound to “protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country”. However these ambitious national goals do not translate into solid practice. Until the beginning of the decade, there were no laws to address the specific issue of waste management in cities. Since then, few cities have complied with the Municipal Solid Waste Rules of 2000. Mixing of waste, low efficiencies in collection, and unscientific disposal methods are still major problems in most of India.
Compounding the challenge of processing India’s own waste is the growing global market for garbage. Despite restrictions and guidelines for trade, defined in the Basel Convention and by India’s own legislature, hazardous wastes (from cell phones and computers to retired ships) are flown into India with little interference from local authorities.
The challenges India faces in its waste system are mirrored many times over throughout the developing world. Addressing these issues is not just a question of doing right by the environment but, just as importantly, guarding against the spread of toxins and disease. As I get busy sorting through all this “material” in India, I’m looking forward to exploring the many expressions of garbage as a health hazard, as a poison, as fuel and feed, and as an inspiration for change and innovation.
Post some pictures! I DIG IT!