N-E Models of Waste Management

Syllabus: GS2/Governance; GS3/ Environment

Context

• The Majuli (Assam) and Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh) models of waste management demonstrated how community participation, decentralised systems and locally adapted financing models can improve waste management.

About Majuli and Tawang Rural Waste Management Models

• Majuli Model:
  • Central Material Collection Facilities (CMCFs) were established across most panchayats, along with village-level collection facilities.
  • Decentralised sorting: Non-biodegradable waste is segregated before being sent to scrap dealers and recyclers.
  • Government–NGO partnership: Government agencies provide infrastructure and vehicles, while organisations such as Saahas support staffing and capacity building.
• Tawang Model:
  • Swachchata Divas: Instead of expensive door-to-door collection, villagers collectively bring waste to a designated location and sort it.
  • Multi-category segregation: Waste is initially sorted into 22 categories and subsequently into around 35 categories at Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs).
  • User charges: Households pay around ₹50 per month, while shops and cafés pay around ₹100, creating a local financing mechanism.

Solid Waste Generation in India

• In FY 2021–22, India generated 170,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day, about 156,000 tonnes were collected, of which nearly 54% was treated, and 24% was deposited in landfills. 
  • The remaining 22% was unaccounted for due to leakages in the waste supply chain.
• Indian cities will generate approximately 435 million tonnes of solid waste by 2050 (MoHUA 2021).
• There are only 645 landfills in operation and the total number of existing dumpsites in the country is 2,452.

What are the difficulties in managing waste?

• Changing patterns of consumption: The rising penetration of packaged food, beverages, personal-care products and multi-layered plastics has increased non-biodegradable waste in villages.
• High collection costs: Collection and transportation are costly because of dispersed settlements, difficult terrain, poor roads and long distances to recyclers.
• Open dumping: In the absence of formal systems, waste is dumped in fields, water bodies or openly burnt, leading to soil, water and air pollution.
• Poor segregation at source: Wet, dry, sanitary and hazardous wastes are often mixed at the household level, making recycling, composting and scientific treatment difficult.

Government initiatives

• Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016: Mandates segregation of waste at source into biodegradable, non-biodegradable, and domestic hazardous waste.
  • Promotes waste processing through composting, bio-methanation, and waste-to-energy technologies.
  • Encourages bulk waste generators (housing societies, hotels, etc.) to process their own waste.
• Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM):SBM-Urban focuses on 100% door-to-door waste collection and encourages source segregation.
  • SBM-Rural promotes biodegradable waste composting and bio-gas plants in villages.
• Waste-to-Energy Projects: The government is encouraging waste-to-energy plants to convert non-recyclable waste into electricity.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Under EPR rules, manufacturers and producers must take responsibility for managing post-consumer waste (e.g., plastic waste, e-waste).
• NAMASTE Scheme (National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem): A formal initiative to recognize and include waste pickers in the sanitation and waste management strategy.
  • Provides occupational safety training, health insurance (under Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY), and capital subsidies for waste collectors.

Way Ahead

• Community ownership: Treat citizens as active participants rather than merely beneficiaries.
• Local adaptation: Use door-to-door collection where feasible and community collection where settlements are scattered.
• User financing: Introduce affordable and locally determined waste-management fees.
• Government–community partnership: Combine public infrastructure and funding with community ownership.
• Market linkages: Establish reliable connections with recyclers and scrap dealers.
• Data generation: Maintain reliable data on waste generation, collection, processing and costs.

Source: TH