Why is the Waste Sector Wasting Too Many Business Opportunities? A Case Study of Delhi, India

Abstract

Waste materials can be defined as substances that may no longer be required by one or a group of individuals. However, such materials may be of use for some other individuals or group of individuals. It is for this reason that the waste and junk management in some countries like USA is a billion dollar industry. The status of this sector in India, however, is far from satisfactory. This is despite the fact that India supports a large population and its cities are exhibiting high rates of resource consumption. For example, Delhi, India’s national capital, generates 8370 metric tonnes of solid waste every day. Most of this waste is eventually dumped in three landfill sites in Delhi at Bhalswa, Ghazipur and Okhla. Although Delhi’s population and solid waste generation capacity has increased consistently in the last two decades, the number of landfills has remained constant. As a result, all these three landfills are overflowing and are operating at 3–4 times their planned capacity. While the situation is considerably alarming, it is not being responded by taking adequate steps to address this problem. The administration maintains a business-as-usual approach even as the three landfills continue to increase in size each passing day. Two visible measures taken are the setting up of waste-to-energy plants and landscaping of the landfills. Waste-to-energy, in the absence of segregation of waste at source, comes with its own concerns. At the same time, landscaping of the landfill does not prevent it from contaminating the surface and groundwater. Thus, while waste should be a resource yielding recyclable value for the economy, Delhi’s solid waste continues to add to the environmental problems of the city of Delhi. This research contribution presents a case study of the waste management sector in Delhi and attempts to identify the challenges being faced by the former that are preventing its growth. Case Abstract: A dozen kabadiwallahs (mobile junk dealers) were surveyed as part of a pilot experiment and their input–output in terms of time investment, mode of working and capital earned were noted. Hundred households were also surveyed from among the residential colonies visited by these kabadiwallahs. The frequency of waste collection at doorstep, willingness to segregate waste and the total earning from selling junk were some of the observations made during this survey. It was found that on an average, a kabadiwallah invests 8–10 h per day and earns on an average Rs. 12,000/- to Rs. 14,000/-per month. Further, only 16% of the households surveyed displayed willingness to segregate their waste. On an average, a household pays Rs. 75/-per month to the waste collector for disposing of their waste. This was followed by an experimental set-up involving 10 households and two kabadiwallahs for understanding the practical and economic viability of segregation of municipal solid waste The households who were made to segregate their waste earned Rs. 70/- in the first week, Rs. 110/- in the second week and Rs. 150/- in the third week by systematically selling it to the kabadiwallahs. Thus, even a basic intervention in the municipal waste management sector could help transform waste into sellable junk thereby creating business opportunities as well as reducing the amount of waste reaching the already overflowing landfills in urban agglomerations like Delhi.