The Solid Waste Collection and Handling cooperative or (SWaCH) is the world’s largest waste picker-led cooperative, with over 3,900 self-employed members. It was formally instituted in 2005 in Pune, Maharashtra, as a wholly-owned workers’...
Over 100 countries rejected the draft text for the global plastics treaty, labeling it “unambitious” and “inadequate”. This rejection was led by a coalition of “high ambition countries” including many African and Pacific nations,...
A slew of new waste to energy incineration projects have been announced across India in spite of mounting evidence of its failures, environmental and health impacts. Recently the MoEFCC granted environmental clearance for the...
Pushing technological solutions like waste-to-energy plants overlook the social, political and economic aspects of waste. “Trash is treasure when you recycle.” “Don’t waste waste—manage it well!” “Technology can transform waste from a problem into...
Until recently, waste-to-energy incineration industries were classified by the CPCB as a ‘red category’ — a highly polluting industry. Recently, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has carved a new category of industries called...
Fighting plastic pollution is a herculean task in itself. However, on top of fighting to save the planet and the people from the impacts of the entire plastic life-cycle
Fighting plastic pollution is a herculean task in itself. However, on top of fighting to save the planet and the people from the impacts of the entire plastic life-cycle, we are confronted with yet...
“Destructors”, “incinerators” and “waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration” all mean the same thing - indiscriminate burning of garbage! Having a history of about one and half centuries, WTE incinerators have seen several reboots over the 19th,...
Burning garbage is choking Delhi’s health, environment, livelihoods and finances. It is high time that the AAP government starts addressing the problem of waste, not when it is thrown away, but when it is...
On August 1st, the Prime Minister inaugurated the first waste-to-energy (WTE) plant of Maharashtra in the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).
Burning garbage is choking Delhi’s health, environment, livelihoods and finances. It is high time that the AAP government starts addressing the problem of waste, not when it is thrown away, but when it is...
The Print "Ground Report" titled "What is MCD roadmap to 'completely flatten' Delhi's three landfills within a year?" by Sukriti Vats highlights the critical issue of Delhi's massive landfills and the pollution they cause....
About a decade ago, in 2013, the Planning Commission constituted the “Task Force on Waste-to-Energy” to identify technically feasible, financially affordable and environmentally sound processing and disposal technologies for municipal solid waste in India....
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has refused to renew Ramky Energy and Environment Limited’s (Ramky) “consent to operate” for the bio-medical waste incineration facility in A. Mukkulam, Virudhunagar, which expired on 31...
“Operation successful but the patient died” is perhaps the best phrase to describe the handling of the Brahmapuram fire which ravaged the city of Kochi. Spread over 110 acres of land, the Brahmapuram dumpyard...
