Chennai residents, soon, your garbage bulk will be yours to compost

CHENNAI: Hundreds of apartment complexes and hotels in the city, which generate over 100 kg waste a day each, will soon have to make arrangements to compost the garbage within their own premises, with the Greater Chennai Corporation issuing notices to these bulk waste generators. This is applicable to other bulk generators such as marriage halls, said the civic body, citing the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, in the notice.

The idea is to reduce the garbage that is transferred to long distances, which is often reduced to stinking, putrefied organic matter by the time they reach the dump yards. On the other hand, while the non-biodegradable wastes are more problematic on the face of it, the commercial value of that waste ensures demand and hence disposal.

According to the Corporation, apartment complexes can compost the waste generated using mechanised shredding and composting assembly units that would cost around Rs 17 lakh for a fully automated unit, said Corporation officials. “A 4 ft x 5 ft pit would be sufficient for apartment complexes to take up composting,” said a senior official.

He added that the compost, known for being able to nourish the soil, could be used for gardening and other purposes within the premises. For those residential complexes that are looking to opt for mechanised composting units that can quicken the process, a link to the website of National Seeds Corporations has been included in the notice issued. The link to government's National Seeds Corporation Limited website, contains details of the range of mechanised composting units.

With Gandhi Jayanthi around the corner, the Corporation is all set to intensify its Swachh Bharat campaign, issuing notices for source segregation of waste. “In areas under the Corporation, biodegradable waste will be collected every day while non-biodegradable waste will be collected on Wednesdays,” the statement said.

Zone 2 (Manali) has proved to be a forerunner in source segregation with almost all residences following the practice. While biodegradable waste is composted in the same zone, recyclable waste is sold to the respective traders and materials like thin plastic go into laying tar roads, leaving only the remaining to be sent to the landfills.