Assessing Livelihood and Employment Generation Opportunities in Metros Arising from Increasing Compliance with SWM Rules 2016—A Case of Bengaluru

Abstract

With increasing compliance to SWM 2016 in metros, the current impulsive buying behaviour among consumers coupled with increased production, solid waste management (SWM) necessitates the pursuit of 5Rs viz. source reduction, reuse, recycling and composting, resource recovery and residue management. Since integrated solid waste management (ISWM) involves a chain of activities right from reduction in generation of waste till the final disposal, it opens up avenues for livelihood, employment and business opportunities. From typical wastes generated in households, an estimate has been made for a ward-level system comprising of ideal segregation and 5R practicing population. Further, from current practices of waste segregation, the extent of recycling possible today and the potential livelihood, employment and business opportunities have been estimated for an ideal situation. The role of stakeholders is predominant in the management of waste and it is their ethical responsibility to dispose the waste which they have generated. Thereby more entrepreneurs are created leading to the revenue-generating opportunities among the economically backward section of the society. Superimposing the concept of ‘zero waste to landfill’ which is a holistic approach to ISWM which stresses on the aspect that though recycling helps in acquiring the value of materials, the resources invested in manufacturing/producing the product are lost. Hence, it becomes imperative for the stakeholders to carefully validate the zero waste management efforts. This also establishes employment opportunities such as designing products which support zero landfill or design a zero landfill program to the concerned party or marketing recycling goods.