Municipal Solid Waste – Transforming Waste to Wealth in a Sustainable Manner

In the urban areas of India, solid waste generated by human activities due to increasing urbanization and economic growth is a major concern as we aspire to become a 5 trillion economy by 2025. Millions of tonnes of solid waste is generated in various forms, with the most commonly used disposal methods are open dump, open-air incineration, land filling and disposal to water bodies. Irregular management of municipal solid waste leads to water and air pollution, land degradation and emission of gases like methane and carbon dioxide. The concepts of 5R, viz. reducing, reusing, recycling, recovering and residual management, are the main aspects that address this global issue. To meet these challenges, the Government of India must develop a regulatory framework to address the issue in a sustainable manner.