At 8.5k MT per day, city’s debris waste matches garbage output

Mumbai: The city's construction and demolition (C&D) waste surged to 8,506 metric tonnes (MT) a day in 2023-24 from 3,831 MT in 2022-23, bringing it on a par with the daily solid waste generation, according to official data.
Civic officials attribute the current spike in C&D waste to large-scale construction and redevelopment projects across Mumbai. Official figures indicate there are around 6,000 construction projects.
Authorities said a similar rise was observed in the pre-Covid period of 2019-20, when C&D waste peaked at 11,000 MT, possibly due to extensive underground excavation for big-ticket infrastructure projects like the Metro Railway and Mumbai Coastal Road.
Of the over 8,000 metric tonnes (MT) of solid waste generated daily in the city, 6,900 MT reaches landfills — 6,500 MT at Kanjurmarg and 350-400 MT at Deonar — the rest is processed at some level.
To tackle C&D waste, BMC set up two plants at Dahisar and Shilpata last year. The two facilities can process a total 1,200 MT of C&D waste, but they remain underutilised due to rampant illegal dumping, which continues to bypass official channels. Officials pointed out that the reason for this could be the Rs 400 collection cost charged by BMC.
A BMC official from the development plan department, however, feels the quantum could be even higher as not all waste generated from construction sites can be tracked. "C&D waste coming out of construction sites has to be taken outside Mumbai city limits as per the current rules," said the official. "Till about a decade ago, this waste went into the city's landfills, which was stopped following the Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Management Rules, 2016, notified under the Swachh Bharat Mission. For this, the solid waste department identifies sites where this waste can be taken. The developer should submit a waste management plan before starting construction projects. They also need to bring in permission from the landlord of the plot for allowing the dumping."
Consultant pulmonologist and epidemiologist Dr Lancelot Pinto said exposure to construction dust is linked to a range of health issues, including cerebrovascular disease, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), respiratory infections, asthma, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, and cancers. "It can also cause skin symptoms and other health complications," he added.