“The government alone cannot be held responsible for the management of waste. Private companies and other organisations must play a critical role,” said Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Secretary C.K. Mishra.
Analysis of rules
Mr. Mishra was speaking at the launch of a book ‘State of Waste in India’ by Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group.
The book, launched on Thursday, is an analysis of India’s waste management rules that were first brought in 2000.
Not all ideas that have been successful at one place are universally replicable, he added.
“Indore has done marvellous work in waste management. But, that does not mean everything they have done can be copied everywhere,” he added.
‘Difficult materials’
The book deals with key themes such as the data, health, “difficult materials” like plastic, technology choices and the role of corporatisation.
“Despite all our progress it is hard to manage 62 million tonnes of waste per annum of just solid waste. Then how can we manage upto 165 million tonnes per annum by 2030?” read an introduction to the book.
Dumped in landfills
India generates around 62 million tonnes of solid waste annually. Of this, a mere 43 million tonnes is collected and 11.9 million tonnes treated.
The rest is largely dumped in landfills.
