Indore's Approach to Waste Management [Deep Dive]
(+plus) a step-by-step guide for cities to follow
๐'๐๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ'๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ผ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐.
Here's Why It Works (And a Step-By-Step Guide for Cities to Follow). ๐
Indore has been awarded the title of "Cleanest City in India" for the last seven consecutive years.
๐คทโโ๏ธ But, it didn't start this way.
Indore, like many cities in India, faced significant challenges in managing its waste.
These challenges included:
- ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐ต: The city's rapid population growth led to an increase in waste generation, straining the existing waste management system.
- ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: The traditional waste collection system was inefficient and resulted in uncollected waste piling up on the streets.
- ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Residents did not segregate their waste, making it difficult to process and recycle.
๐โโ๏ธ To address these challenges, Indore implemented a comprehensive waste management strategy:
- ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ฌ% ๐๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป:
Residents are required to segregate their waste into three categories: wet waste, dry waste, and hazardous waste.
- ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น-๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: The city has established a centralized โcommand centreโ to monitor garbage vans and ensure efficient waste collection. This real-time tracking system helps optimize routes and minimize delays. The city tracks 2,200+ garbage vans and collected 1.4+ million tonnes of waste on an annual basis.
- ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: Indore has adopted a decentralized approach to waste processing, with a focus on composting and bio-methanation. The city has 112 composting pits and 10 bio-methanation plants. Wet waste is converted into compost, while dry waste is recycled. Bio-methanation plants generate biogas from organic waste, which can be used as a fuel source.
๐โโ๏ธ Indore's approach to waste reduction is effective for several reasons:
- It is comprehensive.
- It is sustainable.
- It is scalable.
๐โโ๏ธ Cities that want to replicate Indore's success can follow these steps:
1. Develop a comprehensive waste management plan.
2. Educate residents and businesses about the importance of waste segregation and how to properly segregate their waste.
3. Implement a door-to-door collection system.
4. Invest in waste processing facilities that can compost wet waste, recycle dry waste, and treat hazardous waste.
5. Enforce waste segregation regulations to ensure that residents and businesses are complying with the rules.
What do you think about Indore's model of waste management?
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P. S: At Cercle X, we enable businesses and cities to manage their wastes effectively by implementing digital-first tracking and tracing solutions across the waste value chain.
Book a call if you have a waste problem you want solved.