Bulk waste generators fight shy of Corporation’s zero waste ambition

As per Chennai Corporation data, there more than 3,000 bulk waste generators – gated communities, function halls, commercial establishments, hotels and others – in the city and they generate around 500 tonnes of waste every day, which is 10 per cent of total garbage generated by the entire city.

“Out of 3,125 bulk waste generators, only around 300 of them are processing their waste inside their premises. Solid Waste Management Rules mandate the bulk waste generators to process their waste within their premises. Owners of premises extending above 5,000 sqm are also considered bulk waste generators,” the office said. On the other hand, non-government organisations and private organisations empanelled by the civic to provide waste processing expertise to the bulk waste generators are receiving a poor response.

“Some residents welfare associations contact us and seek assistance to process their waste. However, after a first few calls and initial interest, they stop calling us considering expenses of processing waste,” Arul Priya, founder of Namma Boomi, an empanelled organisation, said. She added that several residents ask the organisation to take away their waste and process them elsewhere as they do not want to keep garbage inside their premises. “Bulk waste generators do not take the issue seriously and tend to procrastinate,” she noted.

While empanelling the waste processing organisations, the civic body clarified that the waste generators should bear the cost of services rendered by the service providers and the Corporation has not fixed any price for the service. “So, waste generators are advised to enquire the full details and take an appropriate decision regarding this.” The civic body has empanelled 36 service providers to provide wet waste processing services and 15 organisations to provide dry waste recycling.

Despite the Corporation taking measures to reduce the waste sent out by the bulk waste generators, only around 150 tonnes of garbage of the total 500 tonnes produced by such establishments are processed within the premises. But the Chennai Corporation officials claimed that waste processing by the bulk waste generators have increased after the empanelment. Meanwhile, S Suresh, general secretary of United Welfare Association of Ambattur, said that unless the authority take action and strictly implement the rules, the issue will continue. “Even though, the majority of apartments in Thiruvengadam Nagar is smaller and only generate less 100 kilograms per day, we are doing source segregation by having two bins inside the apartment buildings,” headded. Apart from encouraging the bulk waste generators by empanelling experts, the civic body has also appointed a firm to convert wet waste generated by the bulk waste generators into bio-CNG (Compresses Natural Gas). “The private company will set up a bio-CNG plant with a capacity of 50 tonnes per day in Anna Nagar zone. Even though we are planning to set up three bio-CNG plants to process wet waste, the Anna Nagar plant is exclusively for the bulk waste generators,” N Mahesan, chief engineer (solid waste management) said.

He added that the private company would enter into agreements with bulk waste generators and transport the waste to its facility. The company would set up the plant at its own cost and can earn back their expenses by selling the bio-CNG to others. The exclusive plant would come into operation in six months.