Integrated waste management is crucial to Delhi’s survival

With increasing urbanisation and evolving lifestyles, Indian cities are generating eight times more municipal solid waste (MSW) compared to what they produced during 1947. Globally, landfilling is considered to be the cheapest and easiest way to dispose of MSW. But the major concerns about uncontrolled disposal and burning of solid waste at landfill sites are its environmental releases, which include emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs), particulate matter and leachate.

According to a report of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the total MSW generated in five municipal areas of Delhi is 8,370 tonnes/day (TPD). Out of this MSW, 8,300 TPD are collected and only 3,240 TPD sent for treatment while the rest is dumped into existing landfills (Bhalswa, Ghazipur, Okhla, and Narela Bawana) without any treatment. Waste at the landfills has been known to be one of the major sources of anthropogenic GHGs emission and a key contributor to global warming. Methane alone constitutes about 29 per cent of the total GHG emissions in India, which is nearly twice the worldwide average of 15 per cent. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that landfilling of solid waste is responsible for 2 per cent of global GHGs emissions, and is the third leading source of anthropogenic methane emissions (after fossil fuels and livestock).

Open dumps are responsible for a large proportion of these emissions due to lack of landfill gas collection systems or cover soils that promote methane oxidation. Waste is often burnt to reduce its accumulation and to decrease the risk of diseases. Delhi’s air quality showed 7-9 per cent of the Capital’s particulate matter pollution is because of burning MSW.

According to a CPCB report, the major portion of Delhi MSW constitutes of biodegradable organic materials, which undergo anaerobic decomposition in landfills, generating landfill gas (LFG). A latest study reports that methane emission (in Gigagram/year) from Ghazipur, Bhalswa, and Okhla is >3,000, >100 and < 100, respectively. People in Delhi are sitting at the tip of a volcano. A massive fire can engulf the Delhi landfill, turning the entire city into a smoke chamber. Another problem is of leachate generation. LPI is used to check the potential of leachate to deteriorate the quality of groundwater and surface water. Studies from different institutions show the high LPI value (>25) of leachate in Delhi’s landfill sites. Groundwater and surface water are seriously affected by leachate. These problems lead to gastro-intestinal diseases, musculo-skeletal pain, skin and eye irritation, and respiratory problems.

Solid waste has enormous waste to energy potential. Currently, the informal sector picks up part of the resources from the streets and bins to earn a living. As per a Planning Commission report, over 81 per cent of MSW annually is disposed at open dump sites without any treatment. With planned efforts to reduce, reuse, recover, recycle, re-manufacture and appropriate choice of technology, the country can bring down the quantity of wastes going to landfills under 20 per cent. Integrated waste management should be followed because Delhi is drowning in its own trash and there is no place to dump. Long-term waste management planning requires visionary project development by urban local bodies, the private sector and NGOs. Experiences should be shared between different regions of India and different social groups. Campaigns should start for segregation of waste at the source across the city. All school children should be made aware of the significance of waste management. It will make people aware that waste can be a resource opportunity. Also, the informal sector needs to be incentivised. 

The author is a research scholar in the School of  Environmental Sciences, JNU