Friday, July 23, 2010

Zero Waste management policy, what does it actually mean?

Zero Waste management policy, what does it actually mean?


I came across an interesting waste management article on Zero Waste policy and what it actually on wastersblog.com a great site for resource and information on waste management news. I was Shocked to learn that there is actually no definition for the word Zero Waste, it is actually a term that is coined by politicians as it fits their environmental and waste management agenda perfectly. The only way to define the term zero waste is to look at projects that claim to be working towards zero waste philosophy around the world.

According to a study by green alliance in 2006 “Zero Waste” or “No Waste” terms were meant to mean no un-recycled waste and not much more. Practically Zero Waste is tough task to achieve even with all the technologies that we have access to, yet it is a goal that many municipalities strive to achieve. It is in fact documented that municipalities that strive towards a zero waste policy have some of the highest recycling rates in the world.

A common feature in many zero waste policies is that of source separation of recyclables and many countries like Canada do put this law into practise rigorously. But what happens when you try and implement a zero waste management policy in a country like India, where there is no source segregation. Surprisingly the effect is reverse. In my experience, India boosts one of the highest rates of residential waste recycling in the world. On the flip side it also boosts the one of the poorest rates of collection, segregation and treatment of organic waste in the world.

Countries in the west and in Europe have a systemized and organized waste management industry and the zero waste policy is determined based on landfill and house hold charges. In India which does not have a single scientifically managed landfill and where majority of households do not pay for waste collection services the determining factor is the price of recyclables in the open market. Numerous households sell their recycling waste to local scrap dealers, and the left over recyclables in the waste are removed by rag-pickers or the local waste collector. Three different continents all working towards zero waste management practices. The difference is that waste management in India is unorganized, not regulated and there is little involvement of municipal bodies to in-force the law, recognize the unorganized sector for their involvement and make them part of the privatization drive.

As mentioned, achieving a Zero Waste target is an uphill task, but the desire for continuous improvement and working towards a zero waste community is the biggest lesson. Zero waste is a vision and continuous improvement has to be strived in reducing waste from source and by involving our political class to start making changes in the way that they operate.

Eco Wise Waste Management

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