Conserve India

Reuse-Reduce-Recycle – the three “R’s” the mantra for environment conservation. All of us have heard of it but only few start initiatives that put words into action.

Anita and Shalabh Ahuja founded Conserve India as an NGO to recycle the waste in their neighbourhood that wasn't being managed by local authorities. They quickly realised that plastic bags pose the biggest problem in Delhi, not only because there are so many of them but also because they could not be recycled locally. After much experimentation the team at Conserve India realised that the solution lays in upcycling the bags into sheets of plastic that could be reinvented as fashion accessories. They named this material Handmade Recycled Plastic. Conserve converts the ‘nuisance’ called plastic into coveted handbags, shoes and accessories.

Handmade Recycled Plastic :

Over 300 crafts persons and rag pickers are employed with Conserve in Delhi and Haryana.

Conserve upcycles approximately 1.5 to 2 tons of waste into 5000 HRP sheets every month.  It has not only brought dignity to the rag pickers but pays them thrice as much they would be paid outside. These workers of Conserve also undergo medical screenings to help them diagnose health problems on time and send their young children to the Conserve School. It has trained more than 1200 people making of handbags and footwear.

Conserve works with different kinds of materials like plastic, rubber tubes, denim, seat belts, and old fabrics. Conserve products are sold across various international stores across the globe.

Some people behind Conserve India:

Santosh Kumar started collecting plastic bags for Conserve because he can earn three times as much selling his bags to be made into Handmade Recycled Plastic instead of selling the rubbish he collects elsewhere. Bharti has been working for Conserve from the start and has done many jobs.  Today she works in one of the most important departments of the whole organisation; quality control and packing. Alka and Aditi meet buyers and collaborate with designers, as well as maintain relationships with long standing clients, and establish new contacts with potential customers. 

To know more visit www.conserveindia.org

The Okhla case: underlining the need for dialogue and transparency in sustainable development.

Despite apparent adherence to established environmental regulations, the government of Delhi is now faced with an angry community and the threat of delays and looming costs involved in possible relocation of the waste-to-energy plant it had planned to open in July 2011 in Okhla, South Delhi.

The Municipal Cooperation of Delhi (MCD) has entered a public-private partnership with Jindal ITF Ecopolis to build the 200 crore Okhla project, which should convert 1950 tones of solid waste to 16MW of energy per day. Although it is claimed that all precautions to prevent environmental or health hazards have been taken, citizens are strongly objecting the creation of the plant due to expected “poisoning of their living environment”.

For the MCD, the project is a part of the solution to two of Delhi’s most pressing problems: power shortage and waste management.  A representative of the MCD has stated that the project will meet all “statutory obligations”. It will be the first commercial Waste-to-energy plant in New Delhi and the largest of its kind in Asia.

Residents’ opposition to the project, stems mostly from concerns about the air quality of their environment. In a letter to union environment minister Jairam Ramesh, they state that “While there is overwhelming evidence that plants of these types produce toxic gases, residues and respirable particles, the Okhla plant is being set up barely 150m from the nearest established residences”. This claim is rooted in the knowledge gathered that similar plants have not worked as planned due to the composition of waste. According to a resident, in order for the waste to generate enough heat, “elements like plastic will have to be added.” Also, concerns have risen over the amounts of waste that need to be transported to the plant and related noise pollution.

According to Allard M. Nooy, CEO of the company, the technology has been proven and "the plant will be operated after complying with all conditions of the DPR (detailed project report)”. The company has won the 'Frost & Sullivan Indian Environment Industry Excellence Award 2010' and sees itself as continuing to add economic and social value to the economy. In reaction to the residents objections Nooy holds the opinion that any interactions with them to remove their apprehensions should be organised by the authorities and not the company.

In reaction to the residents’ letter, Jairam Ramesh has requested chief minister Sheila Dikshit to reconsider the plant’s location. Now, a meeting will be called with the residents in order to address their concerns. Ramesh has expressed the possibility to consider an alternative location.

To draw a lesson here about the nature of sustainable development, the most important issue is not who is right and who is wrong. Rather, it is evident that sustainable development entails more than meeting all “statutory obligations”. Governments must realise that citizens need to be actively involved in projects that will affect them. This involvement must begin at an early stage of the project planning and must be backed by the company engaging in the public-private partnership by providing transparent information about the concrete possible effects of the project in surrounding areas. Then, if the project is indeed harmless, citizens will have access to this information and need not object. Or, if concerns of the citizens are grounded, the location can be reconsidered at an earlier stage, saving both the negative publicity and the costs of moving the operation at such a late stage in the planning process.  Sustainable development is a process in which dialogue and transparency are essential elements.

Further reading and references:  Officials say plant to be operative in July, Residents up in arms, Sheila to review waste-to-energy plant at Okhla. Facebook page for resident’s campaign: Okhla ka Ghosla

Why migration is fuelling inefficient urban waste management

(Source: Syncline Films, Scavenging dreams)

While most people play the role of waste generators, there are very few that really
know where the waste goes after it leaves our homes, streets, offices etc. Does
the municipal authority collect it all? Hardly. Most of this is scavenged by
waste pickers or rag pickers who collect waste which they sell to informal
traders for a few rupees. The waste pickers operate informally living close to
waste sources which are located at the fringes of the city.

Most of these individuals are migrants who come to bigger cities hoping for a better
life. They sift through piles of rubble, domestic waste, medical waste and
industrial waste. Considering the complete lack of healthcare and sanitation
surrounding this informal waste collection, not many are willing but submit to
becoming waste pickers due to their dire need of income. While repeated
attempts are being made at formally integrating waste pickers in the waste
cycle, no urban body has been successful so far. This is due to multiple
reasons. There are multiple stakeholders in every waste cycle and none want to
lose their presence in the changed scenario. Also, while the waste pickers do
their job invisibly, the government can continue to give a blind eye. Residents
are happier because they have cleaner streets. Other than token efforts, like
the provision of rubber gloves, the municipal bodies have not done much to
improve the waste pickers’ lives.

However, many waste pickers die every year. They are treated as outcasts because of
their profession. However, waste picking does not ebb as continued migration has
lead to continuous waste picking. Immediate formalization and reinvention of
the role of waste pickers is required, such that the waste management system
becomes more effective and efficient and these migrant workers find themselves
gainful and respectable employment.

Other related links: RethinkingWaste Management in India, India Together, Sanjay K Gupta 2004

Small is beautiful

(Deonar Garbage Dump, Mumbai)

Solid Waste Management is one of the important obligatory functions of the urban local bodies in India. Consider the case of Mumbai - along with the neighboring areas of Navi Mumbai and Thane, Mumbai is a city of about 19 million people. Citing 2008 figures, it is the world’s fifth most populous metropolitan area and currently, Mumbai generates waste to the tune of approximately 9000 tonnes per day.

The MCGM has the Advance Locality Management Scheme (ALM), which involves residents who segregate compost and recycle waste locally. The basic principle of the ALM is ‘self governance’. The main element of the partnership is the segregation of garbage into dry and wet waste, handing over the dry waste to rag pickers and composting of the wet waste within the locality. ALMs fit perfectly between the formal and informal waste management system. ALMs are formed streetwise or small area wise and waste collection and street sweeping are often considered the priority focus of ALMs.

Mumbai’s per capita waste generation rate of 0.5 kg/person/day is higher than the national average. Although the collection efficiency is reported to be as high as 90%, almost half of the city’s 19 million people live in slums, some of which do not have access to solid waste services. The pressing problem for Mumbai is also its acute shortage of land. Due to the lack of appropriate implementation and effort by the government, as well the apathy of the citizens, the city has become a fertile ground for an impending solid waste management crisis.

Though ALMs were considerably active bodies a few years back, much has changed and not many registered ALMs are functional now. Even the reality around Mumbai has changed. People living in rented flats who move in and out of the city do not participate in regular ALM activities. However, some ALM bodies have been active for over a decade. Advanced Locality Management and Networking Action Committee (ALMANAC), a federation of ALMs is one of them. Organized by Rajkumar Sharma who is a believer in waste management, ALMANAC continues to function in the suburb of Chembur. Sharma aims to create a model in Chembur which can be replicated in different areas. To know more, help or participate, you can contact Raj Kumar Sharma on 9820989310 or almanac.rks@gmail.com.