Urban areas in India generate more than 1,00,000 MT of waste per day (CPHEEO, 2000). A large metropolis such as Mumbai generates about 7000 MT of waste per day (MCGM, 2014), Bangalore generates about 5000 MT (BBMP, 2014) and other large cities such as Pune and Ahmedabad generate waste in the range of 1600-3500 MT per day (PMC, 2014). Collecting, processing, transporting and disposing this municipal solid waste (MSW) is the responsibility of urban local bodies (ULBs) in India. The Municipal Solid Waste (Management & Handling) Rules notified in 2000 by the Ministry of Environment and Forest require ULBs to collect waste in a segregated manner with categories including organic/food waste, domestic hazardous waste, recyclable waste and undertake safe and scientific transportation management, processing and disposal of municipal waste. However, most ULBs in India are finding it difficult to comply with these rules, implement and sustain door-to-door collection, waste segregation, management, processing and safe disposal of MSW. The National and State Governments have provided an impetus to improve the solid waste management in urban areas under various programs and schemes. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) funded 49 SWM projects in various cities between 2006 and 2009 (MoUD, 2014). Several cities in India have taken positive steps towards implementing sustainable waste management practices by involving the community in segregation, by enforcing better PPP contracts and by investing in modern technology for transportation, processing and disposal. The role of waste pickers/ informal sector in SWM is also increasingly being recognized. These interventions have great potential for wider replication in other cities in the country. This compendium documents eleven such leading practices from cities across India and highlights key aspects of the waste management programs including operational models, ULB- NGO partnerships, and innovative outreach and awareness campaigns to engage communities and private sector.
