Poor response to segregation drive

CHENNAI: The solid waste segregation drive launched by the city Corporation has received a lukewarm response from residents. Lack of awareness about this new system, in which people are expected to segregate biodegradable and non-degradable waste so that they can be collected separately, caught most residents unawares. However, officials from the Corporation on special duty as supervisors said that people are willing to cooperate and make adjustments to make this new system comply with the Solid Waste Management Rules - 2016, released by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. “A few families segregated their waste after we told them about this new system,” said an Assistant Executive Engineer on special duty in zone 7. 

The Corporation will be collecting biodegradable waste every day except Wednesdays — when only non-degradable waste will be collected. The biodegradable waste will be sent to compost pits set up in every ward on a daily basis. While people welcomed this system, they were a little apprehensive about the feasibility of the ‘single’ day — Wednesday — allocated for non-biodegradable waste. Though biodegradable waste will be regularly collected, residents will have to accommodate non-degradable waste at home for as long as a week. 

“While the biriyani is degradable, the plastic box it is parceled in isn’t. Keeping this in the trash can for a week will be a problem,” said a resident of Nungambakkam who wished to remain anonymous. 
When Express contacted the Corporation over this apprehension voiced by residents, officials said that based on suggestions/complaints, they would be able to accommodate one more day for non-degradable waste. 

“The campaign has got off to a good start and we can’t expect 100% cooperation on the very first day and we are willing to tweak this system to make it convenient for the people. Certain changes will be made as and when needed to ensure smooth functioning,” said a senior official in the solid waste management department. “With residents of Zone 9, 13 and 7 complying with the system, composting was taken up with much enthusiasm,” he added.

Awareness campaign
The Corporation has taken awareness measures to sensitise people and gain their cooperation. In addition to placing banners across the city describing the new system, the Corporation has been playing awareness videos in Amma Unavagams and other public places

How it works
 Residents will have to segregate waste at home.  Biodegradable waste will be collected on all days except Wednesdays. Non-degradable waste will be collected only on Wednesdays.  
 Biodegradable waste will be taken to the compost pit in each zone every day for immediate composting. The non-degradable waste will be taken to collection points before finally ending up in either Perungudi or Kodungaiyur 
 Thin plastic, cardboard and glass will be sold to local scrap shops by sanitary workers, who will keep the money

Looking back
 Compost pits were first introduced by MK Stalin when he took office as Mayor in 1996 
 Compost pits for biodegradable waste were set up in each ward. However, over time they stopped functioning as locals opposed the pits, citing foul smell 
 In 2006, a proposal was made for mass compost pits in Kodungaiyur and Perungudi but the plan never materialised and composting never caught on. However, since then municipalities surrounding the city have tried composting and launched micro projects 
 The most significant step forward in composting was taken up in Manali in 2016, which was able to cut down 25 per cent of its solid waste by composting. This pilot project’s success was responsible for the implementation of this new system across all the 15 zones