Workshop On Action Plan for Solid Waste Management in Mangaluru Based On Application of WaCT Concludes

UN-Habitat India office conducted an online workshop on an action plan for solid waste management in Mangaluru based on the application of the Waste Wise Cities Tool (WaCT). The workshop was conducted under the project, “Waste Wise Cities: Tackling Plastic Waste in the Environment” funded by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), 

WaCT is developed by UN-Habitat, based on SDG indicator 11.6.1 parameters, to support cities and countries in undertaking a comprehensive diagnostic of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to aid scientific and evidence-based development of projects and investments, the tool standardises the methodology of waste data collection in the city.

In April, the UN-Habitat India team conducted a detailed ground assessment study to understand the existing waste management scenario in Mangaluru through the application of WaCT with support from Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC), HasiruDala and APD Foundation. A sample size of 90 households (HHs) from high, middle and low-income groups participated in this study. 

The activities included the distribution of collection bags (2 bags each for wet and dry waste) to HHs and commercial units (CU), collection of segregated bags from HHs and CUs for eight days for detailed characterisation, interviews of CU's and resource recovery centres, disposal facility assessment and characterisation, mapping of the formal and informal resource value chain and estimating plastic leakages in the city.

The workshop was attended by thirty-seven stakeholders representing MCC, local NGO’s, recycling associations, institutions, bulk waste generators, private companies, informal sector representatives and citizen groups.

Akshy Shridar, commissioner, MCC emphasised Mangaluru’s plan to transition to sustainable and circular waste management systems. ‘The extensive data assessment being done by UN-Habitat will give us a clear idea of where Mangaluru city stands with respect to solid waste management at multiple stages starting from household segregation to the landfill site. The data generated after the application of WaCT will help the city in preparing a clear-cut roadmap of solid waste management which will include the usage of resources, stakeholders and utilisation of technology," he added.

Parul Agarwala, country programme manager, UN-Habitat India mentioned about UN-Habitat’s mandate for SDG 11 and intention to continue to work with local governments and keep its relevance by action on the ground. 

Swati Singh Sambyal, waste management specialist, UN-Habitat India shared the ground assessment results with the group, Mangaluru city generates 391 tonnes per day (TPD) of municipal solid waste of which 110 TPD goes for resource recovery (only 25 per cent recovery rate) through formal and informal facilities. 

Over 30 resource recovery facilities were mapped by the UN-Habitat India team which will further enhance the recycling inventory for MCC for future engagements and reporting. As per the assessment, about 65 per cent of the waste still goes to the landfill site and the city needs to redefine its existing systems to ensure this waste can be diverted for processing. Additionally, the city also has significant plastic leakages contaminating land and water resources.’

3 'R's Are The Cornerstone Of Solid Waste Management 

Based on the assessment results, four priority areas of intervention were identified for action − Awareness and capacity building with a focus on waste minimisation, segregation and zero waste systems; decentralised resource recovery by boosting recycling interventions and bringing efficiency and coordination in resource recovery; improvement of disposal site operations and financing and circular investments. After sharing the results, the stakeholders were divided into four breakout sessions for discussion on these four areas of intervention.

The four breakout sessions discussed problems in the group-specific themes and on solutions and ideas that could be translated as activities in the City Action Plan.

In her closing remarks, Sambyal added that the inputs to the priority action areas for Mangaluru city on solid waste management will be incorporated into a concrete action plan that will be shared with MCC.  Also,  in the coming months, the UN-Habitat India team will engage with stakeholders preparing investment-ready proposals on resource recovery interventions. 

UN-Habitat will continue to work with MCC to ensure the city reinvents its existing waste management systems to a more resource-efficient one.