The government has plans to implement the zero-waste initiative across Ernakulam in a phased manner.
The project, which aims at making the district garbage free, has been launched in North Paravur and Perumbavoor municipalities in the first phase. Already, door-to-door collection is being carried out in these regions to ensure proper and scientific waste management.
Officials of the mission said the idea was to create awareness on zero-waste model across various panchayats and municipalities in Ernakulam. “We had initiated several programmes to spread the message of ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ among the public as part of the project,” they said.
The mission had invited applications from agencies for developing model zero- waste systems in local self-government institutions in the State. The agencies will sign an agreement with local bodies for carrying out the zero-waste project.
The agency selected will be entrusted with the task of installing, operating and maintaining household waste management devices that include composting and bio-methanation technologies. The empanelled agencies should have the experience, expertise and manpower in community mobilisation and door-to-door dry waste collection.
Officials pointed out that the plan was to create innovative models of implementing zero-waste strategy in panchayats and municipalities in Ernakulam. The main focus is to mobilise communities to implement the concept of reduce, reuse and recycle. The government will also provide technical solutions on various categories of solid waste management technologies that include composting and bio-methanation process.
The zero-waste initiative is not limited to door collection of waste, but extends to handling, management and forward linking of dry waste for resource recovery within various local bodies.
A notification issued by the government said that the process would be based on a self-sustainable business model. The source of revenue for running the systems will primarily come from user fee collected from all households and other proceeds from sale of value-added materials recovered from refuse. The initiative is among the various proposals included under the district-level waste management programme being worked out by the government.
