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Solid waste management in Kolkata, India: practices and challenges
1Civil Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India.
Waste Management (New York, N.Y.)
|April 25, 2008
Summary
Kolkata
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Urban Planning
- Public Health
Background:
- Solid waste management (SWM) in Kolkata faces significant challenges.
- The city generates over 2920 tons/day of municipal solid waste.
- Current SWM expenditure is insufficient for adequate service provision.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of current solid waste management practices in Kolkata.
- To identify major deficiencies in Kolkata's SWM system.
- To suggest solutions for improving SWM services in the city.
Main Methods:
- Assessment of current solid waste generation rates.
- Analysis of budget allocation and expenditure on SWM.
- Evaluation of collection, transportation, and disposal practices.
- Identification of deficiencies in manpower, vehicles, and infrastructure.
Main Results:
- Collection efficiency is low (60-70% for registered, <20% for unregistered residents).
- Significant deficiencies exist in manpower, vehicle availability, and bin placement.
- No waste treatment is currently practiced; waste is openly dumped at Dhapa.
- Inadequate management skills and infrastructure contribute to poor SWM.
Conclusions:
- Kolkata's SWM system requires substantial improvements across all elements.
- Addressing deficiencies in collection, transportation, and disposal is critical.
- Increased investment and improved management are necessary for effective SWM.
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