Syllabus: Urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
Global Context and Circularity Focus
- COP30 (Belem, 2025) placed waste reduction at the centre of the global climate agenda.
- The No Organic Waste (NOW) initiative targets methane emission reduction through circular waste management.
- Circularity was highlighted as essential for inclusive growth, cleaner air, and public health.
- India’s Mission LiFE, proposed at COP26, emphasised conscious consumption and circular resource use.
Urban India and the Waste Challenge
- Rapid urbanisation is irreversible, presenting a choice between sustainable cities or waste-ridden urban spaces.
- Indian cities lag behind global standards in providing clean and healthy urban environments.
- NCR and several Indian cities rank among the most polluted globally, despite regulatory and judicial interventions.
- Under Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), eliminating open defecation and achieving garbage-free cities remains a priority.
- Urban India may generate 165 million tonnes of waste annually by 2030, emitting over 41 million tonnes of GHGs.
- By 2050, urban population may reach 814 million, increasing waste generation to 436 million tonnes.
- Achieving Garbage Free Cities (GFC) by 2026 is an existential environmental necessity.
Shift from Linear to Circular Waste Management
- About 1,100 cities are rated dumpsite-free under SBM Urban 2.0.
- Sustainable outcomes require all 5,000 cities adopting circular economy principles.
- Circularity focuses on waste minimisation and recovery of energy and materials.
Plastic, Organic, and Construction Waste
- Over 50% of municipal waste is organic, suitable for composting and bio-methanation.
- Compressed Biogas (CBG) plants enable green fuel and power generation from wet waste.
- Plastic dominates dry waste, posing severe ecological and public health risks.
- Recycling depends on household-level segregation and expanding material recovery facilities.
- Construction and demolition waste generates 12 million tonnes annually, degrading urban spaces.
- Recycling capacity remains inadequate relative to construction activity.
- Enforcement of C&D Waste Management Rules, 2016, and upcoming 2025 Rules is crucial.
Wastewater and Circular Water Use
- Wastewater recycling supports agriculture, horticulture, and industrial reuse.
- Urban water security depends on complete wastewater and faecal sludge management.
- Missions like AMRUT and SBM emphasise recycling as essential amid water scarcity.
Barriers to Circularity
- Challenges include weak segregation, logistics gaps, poor product quality, and market constraints.
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) remains limited across dry waste categories.
- Inter-departmental coordination, incentives, monitoring, and municipal resources remain inadequate.
- Knowledge-sharing initiatives like Cities Coalition for Circularity (C-3) support urban transformation.
