1 ) How much organic waste is produced in India?
Urban India generates 62 million tonnes of waste annually. 43 million tonnes of municipal solid waste are collected annually, out of which 31 million is dumped in landfill sites and just 11.9 million is treated. About 31 million tonnes (50%) is dumped in landfill sites.
As per the annual report of the Indian government's Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, it is estimated that the total generation of solid waste is approximately 150,000 tons per day and of that, approximately 90 percent ( 135,000 tons per day ) is collected.
The organic waste fraction varies between 40 and 60 % of the total solid waste streams.
Average waste is about 450 grams of waste per person per day. Daily household municipal solid waste generation ranges from 170 grams per person in small towns to 620 grams per person in large cities. A study estimate:
- 41% organic or biodegradable
- 40% inert
- 6% paper
- 4% plastic
- 4% textiles
- 2% glass
- 2% metal
- 1% leather
Of the total waste produced 51 % was organic or biodegradable.
2) How big of the organic waste produced is turned into compost?
A study conducted in 2019 showed that not even 5% of the total waste generated is converted.
Even though there is a huge potential for composting in India with the amount of organic and biodegradable waste produced but due to unorganized management a lot of it just ends up in landfills.
One of the main reason for such a low number is due to the emission of potent greenhouse gases during uncontrolled decomposition of organic waste in dumpsites.
In order for our country to get better at composting, it is imperative that necessary actions be taken to promote appropriate disposal mechanisms for solid waste management.
3) If composted, how do cities use them?
Compost in big cities are usually run by the waste management sector in the local government.
City compost is usually used as a replacement or supplement to chemical fertilizers in replenishing the nutrient-depleted soil. Majority of the composts is sent to the farmers in rural areas. Thus, compost plays a major role in balancing our food demand.
- Smaller cities/ rurual areas
Other than the composts that are managed by the government, smaller and more affordable composts are also managed in the backyards of our houses. This is very common in rural and smaller cities like my own.
The organic waste produced in our houses like vegetable peals, food waste etc are collected together and then thrown in a small compost pile.
Examples of organic waste produced:
The compost that is produced from these pits, are either sold to farmers or used as manure for the crops that we ourselves grow in our backyard.
How compost produced in smaller cities is used?
Example 1
Our house has a small compost in our backyard where all the organic waste (picture above) goes. The compost is underground and thus the manure that is produced acts as an organic fertilizer for the plants that are grown near to the compost pit.
Example 2
On the other hand, a house a few blocks away from me have cows in them and the organic waste produced (cow dung) from it is in a larger scale and thus they are actually sold to farmers as manure.
