Bulk Waste Producers in Chennai A Preliminary Investigation

Profile of Waste Produced Hotels – paper, cardboard; – plastic and polythene; – Bottles and cans; – Kitchen and food wastes Restaurants – Food and Vegetable waste – Bones (mainly chicken) – Packaging wastes (milk, containers)

Profile of Waste Produced Educational Institutions Hostels: -Food waste -Paper waste -Plastic, glass bottles -Packaging waste Canteen Area: -Food waste (lower in colleges where food is prepared outside) -Paper cups, plates, plastic bottles -Packaging wastes General Campus: -Garden waste -Plastics -Paper waste

Profile of Waste Produced Residential Colonies/Complexes (highly varied) – Paper, Plastic waste – Food waste – Discarded household appliances – Garden waste

Profile of Waste Produced Office Complexes – Paper waste (accounts for major portion) – Food waste (offices with canteens) – Packaging waste – Plastics, disposable cups, spoons

Profile of Waste Produced High Public Traffic Areas – Railway Stations and Airport: Waste paper, disposable cups plastic bottles, plastic bags and packaging food waste from stalls. – Vegetable Market (Koyambedu): Organic waste Packaging waste

Estimated Quantities of Waste Daily Figure/establis hment Daily for Chennai Hotels-- Restaurants MT45-60 MT Edu. Instt.2 MT (avg) Offices1.2 MT;.39 MT Residential Colonies (HIG) 3.26 kg/household Major Railway Stns 4.42 MT (avg of Egmore & Central) Koyambedu MT

Current SWM Practices Hotels: – All depend on CoC for disposal to some extent Some depend on CoC for major portion of waste except some high value items (alcohol bottles) Some depend on CoC only for disposal of food and kitchen waste These dispose their paper, plastics and bottle waste through a vendor (recycling) If the vendor doesn’t collect, then waste is diverted to CoC in all surveyed cases – One hotel surveyed hands over kitchen waste to piggeries – Smaller hotels (lodges, inns) create less waste and use CoC street bins for disposal

Current SWM Practices Restaurants – One respondent reported paying a regular charge to CoC of ` 700/month for daily pick up – Others reported that they simply dumped the daily waste in nearby CoC bins from where it was routinely collected

Current SWM Practices Educational Institutions In one surveyed case, – waste from hostels, quarters and departments is aggregated at a central location. – High value recyclables including paper, glass, plastics are diverted to recyclers on a monthly basis. (Reported revenue: 50-60k/month) – Organic waste from a central eatery facility is meant to be used in a Biogas plant on campus (Not currently fully operational) on campus. – The rest of the waste is handed over mixed to the CoC.

Current SWM Practices Educational Institutions contd. – Other institutions surveyed direct all their waste to the CoC for disposal

Current SWM Practices Residential Complexes – Category 1 Mixed waste is collected door to door and disposed of in street bins – Category 2 A contractor is engaged to pick up mixed waste deposited in designated areas within the colony daily Some households divert certain items such as newspapers, bottles to the informal recycling sector Other* waste in both cases finds its way to the CoC managed dumpsite

Current SWM Practices Office Complexes: – Most waste is collected and deposited in a central bin(s) from where it is collected by the CoC – In some cases, paper waste is sold for scrap

Current SWM Practices Railway Stations: – Waste is collected through the day by a contractor who then disposes it as per the Railways agreement with the CoC (Kdg) Airport: – Waste is collected and transported off site by a vendor, segregated and sold (paid for by the airlines using the terminals) Koyambedu: – Waste is collected and transported to dumps by CoC – A biogas plant is present on the site but is currently not operational

Current SWM Processes Observations: – The majority of respondents reported depending exclusively on the CoC for disposal, in many cases subverting the fee payment system – The CoC has recently attempted to impose a fee for removal of waste on hotels, restaurants, kalyana mandapams, etc. This has faced opposition from these groups. – The wide variation in recycling practices seen within categories of BWPs shows that: Recycling is feasible It is not being undertaken in many places where it can be

Source: National Productivity Council, New Delhi. Final Report for Upgadation of MSW Dump Sites of Corporation of Chennai.

Advantages of Intervention The most easy to regulate and manage. Could help establish organic waste management infrastructure in the city. Income generation for CoC Savings and revenue generation for owners Create green jobs for waste pickers

Road Map Detailed surveys and consultations with the hotels, restaurants, institutions and other bulk waste generators. Beginning with larger establishments and moving on to smaller ones. Development of a SWM policy addressing special requirements of the sector with the following features: – Mandatory separation of waste at source for all establishments. – In situ management of organic waste for all large hotels and institutions. – Community level organic waste management for all small restaurants and eatery clusters.

Road Map – Jobs in dry waste collection and management of compost/Biomethenation site. – Encouraging material substitution and phase out of plastic disposables, tetrapak, Styrofoam etc. in food packaging and serving.

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