waste-scape
solid waste management and recycling opportunities, the urban challenge
mumbai / curitiba
MUMBAI, INDIA
waste-scape
solid waste management and recycling opportunities, the urban challenge
mumbai / curitiba
Mumbai, India.
Mumbai has more than 12 million inhabitants,
and almost 55% of them live in informal
settlements. The number of pavement dwellers
adds perhaps other two or three hundred
thousand people.
One of the main features of these slums is that
they are dispersed all over the city, occupying
opportunistically every marginal land, every
void– railway and highway margins, wetlands
and parks, hilly areas or abandoned industrial
sites among others.
The very definition of slum states the lack of
basic infrastructures and services, being the
collection and waste disposal one of them.
The resident communities are the victim of the
withdrawal of the public authorities regarding
the waste management, and also of their own
apathy towards a durable solution to the
problem.
The heterogeneous population of these slums
and the lack of belongingness in what is seen
as a transitional stage for their dwellers are
some of the issues that could explain the
situation.
Mumbai has more than 12 million inhabitants,
and almost 55% of them live in informal
settlements. The number of pavement dwellers
adds perhaps other two or three hundred
thousand people.
One of the main features of these slums is that
they are dispersed all over the city, occupying
opportunistically every marginal land, every
void– railway and highway margins, wetlands
and parks, hilly areas or abandoned industrial
sites among others.
The very definition of slum states the lack of
basic infrastructures and services, being the
collection and waste disposal one of them.
The resident communities are the victim of the
withdrawal of the public authorities regarding
the waste management, and also of their own
apathy towards a durable solution to the
problem.
The heterogeneous population of these slums
and the lack of belongingness in what is seen
as a transitional stage for their dwellers are
some of the issues that could explain the
situation.
1981
27.7%
1991
23.5%
2001
54.1%
west suburbs
42.9% total population
54% slummers
42.9% total population
54% slummers
east suburbs
29.3% total population
74,4% slummers
29.3% total population
74,4% slummers
city
27.9% pop
32,8% slum
27.9% pop
32,8% slum
One prime concern regarding the present waste disposal system is its impact on public health and the environment.
The community dumping sites become eye sore, cause foul smell, become breeding places for flies, mosquitoes,
birds, rats, or dogs that later cause diseases among population.
The situation worsen when waste is directly disposed on water channels or open drainages, or during monsoon
months when all this garbage ends up diluted in water.
In the majority of the cases, the city has no system of pre-treatment of this water before reaching the sea.
The community dumping sites become eye sore, cause foul smell, become breeding places for flies, mosquitoes,
birds, rats, or dogs that later cause diseases among population.
The situation worsen when waste is directly disposed on water channels or open drainages, or during monsoon
months when all this garbage ends up diluted in water.
In the majority of the cases, the city has no system of pre-treatment of this water before reaching the sea.
Mumbai generates an average of 7025 metric tons of solid waste daily;
about 5000 MT is general waste, 2000 MT is silt and construction debris
mostly disposed in abandoned quarries, and about 10 MT biomedical waste.
The total solid waste generation in Greater Mumbai is expected to reach
about 10000 metric tones per day by 2025.
The composition of the municipal solid waste includes compostable matter,
paper, cardboard, sand, plastics, metals, or glass among others.
From all, plastic only represents a 0,75 %, but causes big problems clogging
drains and generating toxic gases released in its combustion.
The city spends INR 1.25 crores per day to transport it to the dumping site-
Rs. 135 crores a year for garbage collection and disposal.
Citizens do not pay a special tax for garbage clearance.
The city employs about 28,000 workers for solid waste management, and has
an annual budget of Rs 6000 cr.
A report on the health of workers in 1988 pointed out that 67% complained
of choking, breathlessness and burning sensations in the eyes each time
they went down a manhole, and that skin disease and gastrointestinal
infections were frequent.
about 5000 MT is general waste, 2000 MT is silt and construction debris
mostly disposed in abandoned quarries, and about 10 MT biomedical waste.
The total solid waste generation in Greater Mumbai is expected to reach
about 10000 metric tones per day by 2025.
The composition of the municipal solid waste includes compostable matter,
paper, cardboard, sand, plastics, metals, or glass among others.
From all, plastic only represents a 0,75 %, but causes big problems clogging
drains and generating toxic gases released in its combustion.
The city spends INR 1.25 crores per day to transport it to the dumping site-
Rs. 135 crores a year for garbage collection and disposal.
Citizens do not pay a special tax for garbage clearance.
The city employs about 28,000 workers for solid waste management, and has
an annual budget of Rs 6000 cr.
A report on the health of workers in 1988 pointed out that 67% complained
of choking, breathlessness and burning sensations in the eyes each time
they went down a manhole, and that skin disease and gastrointestinal
infections were frequent.
There are 6.300 garbage collection points in the city and its suburbs,
and three dumping grounds at Deonar, Gorai and Mulund.
Deonar is the largest with 131 Ha and take about 70% of the total
garbage.
The capacity of these landfills will expire around the year 2010.
All the three dumping sites are located in dense habited areas what
implies different public health issues.
In order to ameliorate this situation the city is trying different strategies
ranging from spray water mixed with eco-friendly disinfectants on the
piled garbage, to the plantation of trees.
The city needs to locate additional disposal sites, but the cost of
opportunity of new land for garbage dumping in Mumbai is
unaffordable. Therefore the city will have to find the mechanisms to
reduce the quantity and quality of waste to be land filled. The 141,77
Ha Kanjur Marg site recently allotted for waste disposal should be used
combined with source segregation and recycling initiatives.
and three dumping grounds at Deonar, Gorai and Mulund.
Deonar is the largest with 131 Ha and take about 70% of the total
garbage.
The capacity of these landfills will expire around the year 2010.
All the three dumping sites are located in dense habited areas what
implies different public health issues.
In order to ameliorate this situation the city is trying different strategies
ranging from spray water mixed with eco-friendly disinfectants on the
piled garbage, to the plantation of trees.
The city needs to locate additional disposal sites, but the cost of
opportunity of new land for garbage dumping in Mumbai is
unaffordable. Therefore the city will have to find the mechanisms to
reduce the quantity and quality of waste to be land filled. The 141,77
Ha Kanjur Marg site recently allotted for waste disposal should be used
combined with source segregation and recycling initiatives.
Waste Processing Technology
1 Gorai Bio-methanation + SLF
2 Mulund: Composting + SLF
3 Deonar: Composting +SLF
1 Gorai Bio-methanation + SLF
2 Mulund: Composting + SLF
3 Deonar: Composting +SLF
Formal policies
| ‘The right to live in a clean and healthy environment is a fundamental right guaranteed under Article 21 of our Constitution, and a right recognized and enforced by the courts of law under different laws’. The obligation on the State to protect the environment is expressed under Article 48 A. |
The Municipal Solid Waste Rules 2006 (Prohibition of Littering and
Regulation of Segregation, Storage, Delivery and Collection) states :
‘There is a constitutional obligation of each citizen to protect the
environment by reducing, reusing and recycling solid waste and thereafter
managing its safe disposal under Article 51A (g).
Each citizen should ensure that the solid waste generated from house is
segregated, stored and disposed of as per the guidelines provided to protect
the environment.
Regulation of Segregation, Storage, Delivery and Collection) states :
‘There is a constitutional obligation of each citizen to protect the
environment by reducing, reusing and recycling solid waste and thereafter
managing its safe disposal under Article 51A (g).
Each citizen should ensure that the solid waste generated from house is
segregated, stored and disposed of as per the guidelines provided to protect
the environment.
| The Municipal Solid Waste Rules 2006 continues: Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) should take up initiatives to work with local residents to improve the sanitation, segregation of waste, garbage management, etc. They can play an active role in organizing surveys, studies and new technologies to attract private entrepreneurs to take up solid waste management as a project on a professional level. NGOs should help to create awareness in the society about cleanliness, importance of waste segregation, ill effects of improper waste management and to promote education and awareness in schools. NGOs should involve the community in waste management, and encourage minimization of waste through in-house backyard composting, home composting, vermi-composting and biogas generation’. |
|
The regulations seem crafted for a city with a much sophisticated
system of policy implementation than Mumbai, and above all, a
city with higher standards of hygiene and sanitation.
For instance the table assigning fines to the different actions does
not considered that the lack of toilets for a majority of the slums
dwellers leave them no other option than bathing, urinating and
defecating in the street or the close water bodies. These toilets
operate with septic tanks that are finally disposed into the storm
water drainages, polluting the water anyway.
system of policy implementation than Mumbai, and above all, a
city with higher standards of hygiene and sanitation.
For instance the table assigning fines to the different actions does
not considered that the lack of toilets for a majority of the slums
dwellers leave them no other option than bathing, urinating and
defecating in the street or the close water bodies. These toilets
operate with septic tanks that are finally disposed into the storm
water drainages, polluting the water anyway.
There are some positive initiatives worthwhile mentioning.
- the Advance Locality Management (ALM) system, which entails extensive interaction and involvement of
MCGM with local neighborhood groups. These groups coordinate with the respective Ward Officer for better
management of issues like reduction of waste and storage and disposal involving rag pickers.
The Slum Adoption Scheme [Dattak Vasti Yojana ,DVY] since 2001is a community led sanitation program with
the active participation of slum dwellers in pockets where cleanliness services is not provided.
They have in common is the district [ward] scale, where there is a chance for the authorities to remain operatives
and able to engage the participation of the population.
These partnerships with ONG’s or with private companies are the beginning of promising initiatives for the future.
One of the main limitations for these programs to cover a wider number of slum pockets is, among others, that
many of the slums in the city are not recognized as legal for the authorities- they are illegal because its recent
formation or size-, therefore being impossible to ‘formalize’ any structure to receive public funding.
- the Advance Locality Management (ALM) system, which entails extensive interaction and involvement of
MCGM with local neighborhood groups. These groups coordinate with the respective Ward Officer for better
management of issues like reduction of waste and storage and disposal involving rag pickers.
The Slum Adoption Scheme [Dattak Vasti Yojana ,DVY] since 2001is a community led sanitation program with
the active participation of slum dwellers in pockets where cleanliness services is not provided.
They have in common is the district [ward] scale, where there is a chance for the authorities to remain operatives
and able to engage the participation of the population.
These partnerships with ONG’s or with private companies are the beginning of promising initiatives for the future.
One of the main limitations for these programs to cover a wider number of slum pockets is, among others, that
many of the slums in the city are not recognized as legal for the authorities- they are illegal because its recent
formation or size-, therefore being impossible to ‘formalize’ any structure to receive public funding.
In the Slum Adoption Scheme the slummers form and
register a Community Based Organization [CBO] with the
competent authorities and receive a subsidy.
The CBO needs two years experience on issues such as
health ,education, cultural in the community . Then, the
CBO has to identify their area of work and prepare map
locating areas to be cleaned, including geographical
boundaries and other amenities such as gutters, nullahs ,
pathways, public places and toilets, etc.
The CBO’S are also expected to encourage slum dwellers
for segregation of dry and wet garbage.
The CBOs get the first year Rs.2500/month for one unit of
1000 inhabitants or 200families, Rs. 370 for cleanliness
material, and 10 % service charges.
The CBO collects Rs. 10/month / household per services
A total of 4.525.841 people benefited from this program
between 2001 and 2005. As of now, MCGM has registered
about 249 such CBO’s with the help of 4000 volunteers.
register a Community Based Organization [CBO] with the
competent authorities and receive a subsidy.
The CBO needs two years experience on issues such as
health ,education, cultural in the community . Then, the
CBO has to identify their area of work and prepare map
locating areas to be cleaned, including geographical
boundaries and other amenities such as gutters, nullahs ,
pathways, public places and toilets, etc.
The CBO’S are also expected to encourage slum dwellers
for segregation of dry and wet garbage.
The CBOs get the first year Rs.2500/month for one unit of
1000 inhabitants or 200families, Rs. 370 for cleanliness
material, and 10 % service charges.
The CBO collects Rs. 10/month / household per services
A total of 4.525.841 people benefited from this program
between 2001 and 2005. As of now, MCGM has registered
about 249 such CBO’s with the help of 4000 volunteers.
The city has a widespread informal basis of recycling involving large unorganized workforce of rag pickers who
sort garbage to pick out recyclable items.
Waste collection is adopted by families as a way of surviving in the metropolis: waste buying and selling is the
easiest enterprise these families can set up to make their living. It does not require education, skills, contacts, or
even money to start financing.
The ways these people operate range from individual door-to-door collection to pick up from communal waste
bins or dumping sites.
This informal network occupies people with very different ages, children bellow 12 to adults over 50.
The physical conditions in which they work are generally poor. They work 8 to 12 hours a day and collect up to
ten kilograms per person in dumping sites or up to 20 kilograms in the streets.
5 to 10 % of the total solid waste generated in the city passes by the hands of these informal waste collectors and
then to the recycling sector.
The recyclable inorganic waste consist of reusable materials such as plastic, wood, leather, paper, rubber, glass,
cardboard, etc.
sort garbage to pick out recyclable items.
Waste collection is adopted by families as a way of surviving in the metropolis: waste buying and selling is the
easiest enterprise these families can set up to make their living. It does not require education, skills, contacts, or
even money to start financing.
The ways these people operate range from individual door-to-door collection to pick up from communal waste
bins or dumping sites.
This informal network occupies people with very different ages, children bellow 12 to adults over 50.
The physical conditions in which they work are generally poor. They work 8 to 12 hours a day and collect up to
ten kilograms per person in dumping sites or up to 20 kilograms in the streets.
5 to 10 % of the total solid waste generated in the city passes by the hands of these informal waste collectors and
then to the recycling sector.
The recyclable inorganic waste consist of reusable materials such as plastic, wood, leather, paper, rubber, glass,
cardboard, etc.
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Formal-Informal partnerships
Informal networks
Source of images:
[1] Slums in Mumbai. Current situation and recent evolution.
Maria Arquero & Sol Camacho, student work for Studio Mumbai Margins, GSD’07
[2–4] Slums Condition. Maria Arquero & SolCamacho, trip to Mumbai
[5–6] Dumping sites and composition of municipal solid waste.
Transforming Mumbai into a World-Class City.
MCGM’s Initiatives [Official presentation in Mumbai]
[7,8,10] Existing Recycling plants and Chart with information about the three dumping sites.
Transforming Mumbai into a World-Class City.
MCGM’s Initiatives [Official presentation in Mumbai]
[9] Three dumping sites and other natural features in Mumbai.
Maria Arquero & Sol Camacho, student work for Studio Mumbai Margins, GSD’07
[11] One of the dumping sites. Google images.
[12-14] Slums Condition. Maria Arquero & SolCamacho, trip to Mumbai.
[15] Chart: Rules and Fines. Municipal Solid Waste Rules 2006
(Prohibition of Littering and Regulation of Segregation, Storage, Delivery and Collection)
[16–18] Clean up Mumbai program. Transforming Mumbai into a World-Class City.
MCGM’s Initiatives [Official presentation in Mumbai]
[19] CBO´s members. Bandra Station Area. Maria Arquero & Sol Camacho, trip to Mumbai
[20-21] Flickr: Dharabi, Adrian Fisk at http://flickr.com/photos/adrianfisk
[1] Slums in Mumbai. Current situation and recent evolution.
Maria Arquero & Sol Camacho, student work for Studio Mumbai Margins, GSD’07
[2–4] Slums Condition. Maria Arquero & SolCamacho, trip to Mumbai
[5–6] Dumping sites and composition of municipal solid waste.
Transforming Mumbai into a World-Class City.
MCGM’s Initiatives [Official presentation in Mumbai]
[7,8,10] Existing Recycling plants and Chart with information about the three dumping sites.
Transforming Mumbai into a World-Class City.
MCGM’s Initiatives [Official presentation in Mumbai]
[9] Three dumping sites and other natural features in Mumbai.
Maria Arquero & Sol Camacho, student work for Studio Mumbai Margins, GSD’07
[11] One of the dumping sites. Google images.
[12-14] Slums Condition. Maria Arquero & SolCamacho, trip to Mumbai.
[15] Chart: Rules and Fines. Municipal Solid Waste Rules 2006
(Prohibition of Littering and Regulation of Segregation, Storage, Delivery and Collection)
[16–18] Clean up Mumbai program. Transforming Mumbai into a World-Class City.
MCGM’s Initiatives [Official presentation in Mumbai]
[19] CBO´s members. Bandra Station Area. Maria Arquero & Sol Camacho, trip to Mumbai
[20-21] Flickr: Dharabi, Adrian Fisk at http://flickr.com/photos/adrianfisk