What a Waste!
Training 1 : Mumbai , UNDP
The first time I met him and had a conversation, Haider Bhai said he hasn’t slept in three days. In more ways than one, he represents ‘the city that never sleeps’ — Mumbai. Over the past three decades, this immigrant from Central India, has come to call one of the grandest mega cities of the world ,his home.
The last time I was in Mumbai, I enjoyed the company of good friends, dined at fine places but was unsure of where life was heading. Now, in this moment, stripped off all the fancies but with so much more purpose and certainty, I was on a Mission.
I’ve recently been recruited as the Project Coordinator at Recykal, a Digital Technology Platform for Waste Management. My job would involve being at any and every given platform to champion the cause of sustainable living. Apart from this, I will be training various stakeholders on the implementation of our technology.
Technology, if rightly used, is an enabler — simplifies the tasks we do and declutters our life. Waste Management life-cycle has many stakeholders who have been living at the edge of society, mostly in the informal sector, doing thankless job but not even recognized or registered everywhere. Their lives are at constant risk due to loss of work, health ailments, intermittent and insufficient income while also face the threat of losing their livelihood.
This is just a bird’s eye view of the problem. Having understood that, we started exploring solutions on what Recykal’s contribution as a technology company can be .
United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in partnership with Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is strengthening existing systems and processes in India to reduce the impact of plastic waste on human life and environment, thus addressing SDGs 12 (Responsible Consumption & Production) & 15 (Life on Land). This partnership aims to promote sustainable practices with respect to plastic waste management, thereby empowering Safai Sathis (waste-pickers) with a better quality of life. The model will enhance segregation, collection and recycling of all kinds of plastic waste along the value chain, creating resource efficiency and supporting a circular economy. The project’s aim is in line with the Government of India’s ethos of Swachh Bharat (Clean India) Mission, Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 (which directs segregation of plastic waste into Seven different types — PET, PE, HDPE, LDPE, PVS, PS, PP), and Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2018.
I feel fortunate to be a part of this project. My first assignment on-ground, and an hour after landing in Mumbai I was having a powerful experience. Despite the difficulty of the situation, there could have been no greater learning ground.
I was at a Swachhta Kendra (SK) in Bandra. Mumbai is very contrasting — all lives, all livelihoods are entwined and work in tandem. SKs are integrated material handling facility for recovering and recycling of all types of plastic waste, which is collected by Implementing Partners (IPs) and with the support from Urban Local Bodies. SKs are equipped with machinery for better efficiency. It provides basic amenities for a safe working environment and creates a scalable business model.
The IP at the Bandra SK was Aasra NGO and at another SK we worked with in Dahisar, the IP was a startup called Raddi Connect. The IPs are not just into waste management, but also manage other tasks such as — employee well being, center management, awareness etc.
The Plastic Waste Management Programme considers technology as an important cornerstone of the project covering traceability, accountability, and digital governance. Mobile apps developed for this purpose would be used across stakeholders such as Safai Sathis, recyclers, ULBs and citizens so as to integrate everyone into one digital cloud. This would enable access of real-time data from field for tracking the integrated plastic waste supply chain right from point of collection to the end recycler.
The ultimate goal being to ensure, plastic waste doesn’t enter landfills or oceans. We arrest it at the end of its life and recycle it. Though the ideal situation is to live a zero-waste lifestyle, until all of us are able to find easy-available, affordable alternatives, we believe Recycle and Up-cyle is a mandatory step for all of us.
While looking at tons of garbage at the Swachhta Kendras was quite disturbing, there were some learnings which can’t be overlooked.
- Out of sight,maybe out of your mind, but the waste we generate persists and exists forever — Your job is not over when you chuck something in the garbage. It still goes to our surrounding landfills & water bodies polluting our environment. So, always keep looking out for ways to reduce your garbage. Reduce. Reuse.
- Clean your waste — When something looks or feels grose and you try to discard it, spare a thought. If you don’t clean what you throw, someone else most definitely will have to do that dirty job for you. Be it food/milk packets or used toiletries, rinse them out before you discard
- Despite our busy lives, lack of time, and lethargy,the importance of waste segregation can never be overstated. Countries like Sweden segregate in at least 5 ways. Despite Governments directing us to do only Wet and Dry Waste segregation we are miserably falling short.
- Dry waste is no less dirty than wet waste. Many migrant and marginal workers spend many man hours to segregate waste. Even plastic is separated into Seven or more categories, some depending on color(black,blue etc.), some by their use & manufacture (PET, High or low density plastic) etc. It’s back-breaking work that is done round the clock.
- The part of the recycle-worthy material is often sent back to the landfill, because it is too soiled to be classified as dry waste
How does Waste Segregation Help?
- Wet waste can be composted or sent to landfills, but then there is hope that it can be treated. This is impossible if it is mixed with dry waste.
- The Municipal staff that does door to door collection are mostly not registered and are in the informal sector. Their main source of income was 20–50 Rupees they collected from each household. But since waste segregation became a talking point, and rules being framed around it, the waste pickers, make a small additional income by selling the dry waste at the Dry Waste Collection Centres. So, your waste segregation helps someone in need.
This is where UNDP stepped in to support the Implementation Partners to make the Swachhta Kendras better. SKs are equipped with machinery for better efficiency. It provides basic amenities for a safe working environment and creates a scalable business model.
UNDP has partnered with Recykal to implement our app at these Centers to streamline their entire process and make their lives ever so slightly better. Feeling grateful that I was chosen to make this is a reality. One day, one life, one little step at a time!
To quote Haider Bhai who has been in the Waste management business for at least three decades and using our app for the first time, “yeh aagaya Madam toh apna life easy hojayega”. Words like these are priceless!
P.S: All pictures shot by me, at the Dry Waste Collection Centers in Mumbai.