Language:
Search
 
Zero Garbage Ward
Pune Municipal Corporation
India

The Problem

In India rapid urbanization and the changing consumption habits of citizens have magnified waste problem, and now it is common place for piles of waste to collect on the streets and community bins to overflow. Cities, for their part, have failed either because of a lack of technical know-how or financial constraints to stem the flow of trash. Improper waste management has three major risks – health, environment and quality of life – making it one of the nation’s most pressing challenges. It is ripe for a sustainable solution.

Pune, the second largest metropolitan area in Maharashtra and eighth largest in India, is fast changing from a pensioner’s city to an education and administrative center, as well as a hub for information technology It has gone from a city full of single-family homes to a metropolis full of high-rise apartments and slums. Changes in the modes of transportation also reflect the changing character of Pune. Pune city having population of about 39.33 lac, generates about 1500-1600 metric tons of solid waste per day.

Solid waste management has emerged as one of the critical issues for the present and future of Pune. In recent years, it has become clear that the current system of trash disposal is unable to handle the growing amounts of garbage, which is on the rise due to rapid urbanization, an expanding population and changing habits of consumers. Trash piles up near community waste bins and on the streets, creating both an eyesore and a breeding ground for insects carrying disease. Katraj Ward No. 141, the test case, is Pune’s largest ward in terms of geographic size and number of households. The waste problems plaguing the city as a whole are present in Katraj.

In addition to ill-managed systems within the city, conditions at the city’s main landfill site, Urali Devachi, have deteriorated to extreme levels – villagers in the area can no longer drink the water from the ground aquifer and the air they breathe is unhealthful because of gas emitted by the waste and regular fires during the hotter months of the year. This pollution has led to villager agitation, and villagers occasionally prevent trucks carrying mixed waste from entering the landfill. The result is that waste is not picked up within the city of Pune, so community bins remain unemptied for days and trash is scattered on the streets.

Concern for the nearby villages was the catalyst for Pune Municipal Corporation and Janwani’s Zero Garbage Ward initiative. The Pune Municipal Corporation partnered with NGO Janwani, the waste picker cooperative SWaCH, technology-firm Cummins India and others to develop and implement the project.

This project provided timeliness, courtesy, access and client orientation in public service deliversy. It included the availability of local urban bodies’ services at time in aways that are more convenient to the public, in the form of speedy collection and processing segregated garbage.

Solution and Key Benefits

 What is the initiative about? (the solution)
Urbanization has led to disproportionate growth in cities, leaving civic bodies and other stakeholders scrambling to adjust. To combat the ills of poor management of municipal solid waste, Janwani along with Pune Municipal Corporation initiated a project to eliminate the need for dumping grounds. The initiative, a “Zero Garbage Ward”, represents a paradigm shift from waste as disposable to waste as a renewable, potentially profitable, resource. PMC partnered with Janwani, SWaCH Cooperative (waste-picker group), and Cummins India to carry out the initiative in an electoral ward in Katraj. The ward is the largest in Pune in terms of geographic size and number of households and contains bungalows, apartment societies, and authorized and unauthorized slums. An electoral ward is the smallest administrative unit within an urban area.
“Zero garbage” means that instead of shipping trash to landfills, it should be disposed of locally to alleviate the stress on dumping grounds and reduce transportation costs for the city. Stakeholders in the Zero Garbage Model created awareness campaigns to teach residents in the test ward about the difference between wet and dry waste, and worked with SWaCH Cooperative to educate the waste pickers to pick up the segregated waste at the households. The waste pickers receive Rs. 30 per month per household for this service. They then take the wet waste to an organic disposal plant, sell recyclable materials to scrap buyers, and deliver the remaining dry waste to a secondary collection site.
Katraj’s appearance changed with the implementation of the Zero Garbage Ward model. It is noticeably cleaner than surrounding neighborhoods, and residents report quality of life improvements such as leaving windows open &fewer mosquitoes. Now, 90 percent of households are covered by door-to-door collection, &70 percent of households in the ward provide segregated waste (more information, see chart 1). Prior to implementation of the Zero Garbage Ward, an average of 10 tons of waste was sent to the landfill. Less than a year after implementation, that total has been reduced to less than two tons per day which inturn reduces the cost for fuel and labor. The project is ISO-certified, the first waste management system in India to receive that certification. Timeline of the project
2/2010 – Urali Devachi villager agitation
6/2010 – Exhibition on waste management
2/2011 – Launch of Zero Garbage Ward project
10/ 2011 – Final ISO audit
11/2011 – Impact Assessment Study
9/2012 – ISO surveillance audit

Katraj Ward No. 141, before and after
Before After

24 community bins 4 community bins remain
Less segregation by citizens 70% of homes provide segregated waste
30% door-to-door collection 90% door-to-door collection
20 integrated waste pickers 45 integrated waste pickers
Absence of wet-waste processing plant and sorting shed Biogas plant and sorting shed
Approximately 10 tons of waste per day to landfill Less than 2 tons of waste per day to landfill

The initiative proved successful in Increase in Efficiency , Provide, High- Quality Service Delivery, Incorporate Citizens’ Feedback, Improves Access and Promotes Equity, Promotes Partnerships among the stakeholders, Transforms Administration and Introduces a New Concept.

Actors and Stakeholders

 Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
Events leading to the creation of the Zero Garbage Ward occurred outside Pune, where villagers near Pune’s landfill site blocked city garbage trucks from delivering the waste. The landfill has polluted both the air and water near the village. These events led to the first priority: Pune should develop a system that ends the use of landfills. Janwani brought together stakeholders to establish the following priorities:

- Develop decentralized, sustainable system that can be replicated.
- Dispose of waste locally through recycling and reuse.
- Improve cleanliness and reduction in vector borne diseases
- Enhance waste pickers’ well-being and increased professionalism

In terms of both monetary assistance and manpower, Cummins India was invaluable to the project. In addition to providing $65,000 USD, thousands of volunteers from the company fanned out across the test ward to speak directly with residents and explain the process of keeping organic kitchen waste in a separate bin from plastics, paper and glass. Project partners devised a three-month implementation period. To initiate the process, Janwani teamed with MITCON Institute of Management for an intensive study of current practices of waste management in the Katraj ward. Discoveries includes number of households and community waste containers, total waste created daily and waste composition. It also looked at logistical features including extent of current door-to-door coverage and feeder points. This study allowed Janwani and partners to tailor its strategy and devise an implementation plan based on actual data, not citywide averages.

Contribution by Stakeholders
 Pune Municipal Corporation: Implementing authority for entire system
 Implementation of all activities required to make ward zero garbage, directing agencies such as SWaCH Cooperative, Biogas operator and dry waste agency for better implementation of the system.
 Implementation of ISO system and monitoring the same.
 Scaling up of zero garbage ward activities in other electoral wards
 Setting up of a mechanism for sell of recyclables through waste collectors

Cummins India Limited, Pune.
 Cummins is funding INR 28.5 Lacs and volunteers for the entire awareness program
 ISO approval to cover consultant fees and auditor expense and final cerfication for three years
 Cummins has provided diesel engine for biogas generation.

Janwani- Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture
 Janwani is the facilitator in this project and function as secretariat and documentation of the entire process
 Conducting awareness and training programs for the citizens, waste collectors and PMC Ghata Gadi staff etc for segregation of waste and overall ecofriendly.
 Facilitation ISO trainings, documentation and record required


SWaCH Cooperative:
 Manage area’s waste pickers.
 Provide door-to-door collection by waste pickers in Katraj ward.
 Recycle dry waste and take segregated organic matter to biogas or other biodegradable waste plant.
 Regular monitoring of the system to ensure smooth functioning

The project promotes partnerships between the public sector, civil society, corporates and informal sector in Public Service design and implementation.

(a) Strategies

 Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
 a.      What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
To create sustainable waste management, project partners developed a plan for a decentralized system where waste pickers act as primary collectors of waste. The waste pickers receive trash at the household, taking plastics and glass to recyclables’ buyers and delivering organic waste to secondary collection sites, from where the city transfers it to biogas and alternative energy plants. PMC, Janwani and SWaCH took charge of training members for the new system.
Cummins India, the main project financer, provided thousands of volunteers to educate the residents of Katraj on the system and how to segregate organic and inorganic waste. In terms of both monetary assistance and manpower, Cummins India was invaluable to the project. In addition to providing $65,000 USD, thousands of volunteers from the company fanned out across the test ward to speak directly with residents and explain the process of keeping organic kitchen waste in a separate bin from plastics, paper and glass. Cummins employees also marched through the streets of the ward and participated in public events to promote cleanliness. Lastly, volunteers met with individual waste pickers, meeting as one professional to another, raising the self esteem of these sanitation workers.

In terms of monetary assistance, Cummins donation went toward provision of infrastructure to improve the quality of life of the waste pickers. The funds helped purchase bins, gloves, raincoats, soap, pushcarts and cycle rickshaws, which aided the waste pickers in their work. Without the financial support of Cummins, the Zero Garbage Ward projected would not have been able to provide these items in such a swift manner.

SWaCH and Janwani worked together to train waste pickers on the new system. In addition to teaching the new system, the number of registered waste pickers in the Katraj area increased from 20 to 45.

A two pronged approach was used
 Citizens
o Segregation of garbage at source
o Educate the public about importance of segregation
 Waste pickers
o Importance of Segregation
o Professionalism
o Education about the Commercial value of waste

The project promotes equity by extending service delivery to all the groups and enables service delivery to a wider population and particulary through incorporation of wastepickers that promotes social inclusion has extended services to a wider population than before.

(b) Implementation

 b.      What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
To initiate the process, Janwani teamed with MITCON Institute of Management for an intensive study of current practices of waste management in the Katraj ward. This study allowed Janwani and partners to tailor its strategy and devise an implementation plan based on actual data, not citywide averages.

Next, waste pickers were provided with the necessary infrastructure, including multiple bins for the segregated waste, raincoats, gloves, soap, pushcarts, & cycle rickshaws, funded by Cummins India. SWaCH Cooperative trained the waste pickers on segregation of organic & inorganic waste & how & where to take non-recyclable garbage. Lastly, the PMC fully integrated waste pickers into the ward’s door-to-door collection system.

The residents of Katraj also needed training. Cummins India volunteers raised awareness among the residents about the value of waste segregation &distributed bins to the households for segregated waste. Project partners launched “Swatchnta Mitra,” a cleanliness campaign that involved local citizens. Janwani commissioned a local performer for puppet shows to teach the residents about segregation in a fun and innovative way.

In the last phase,community waste containers were removed from the area. Removal of waste containers was a significant step because it forced residents to use door-to-door collection instead of dropping mixed waste into these containers. Lastly, technology to create value from the organic waste went online. A biogas plant opened in Katraj that uses the organic waste to create electricity.

To guarantee effective monitoring & replication of the new process, Janwani & PMC developed an ISO manual, the first ever for solid waste management in India. The ISO details reporting systems to solidify the zero-garbage model. The ISO certificate was awarded in January 2012 and will last three years.

Katraj’s appearance changed with the implementation of the Zero Garbage Ward model. It is noticeably cleaner than surrounding neighborhoods, & residents report quality of life improvements.
- Door-to-door collection. Before, 30 percent. After, 90 percent.
- Segregation. Before, 600 households. After, 8,500 households.
- Mixed waste to landfills. Before, 10 tons per day. After, less than 2 tons per day.
- City transportation. Each ton of waste costs the city Rs. 800-900 with fuel and labor. Reduction by eight tons saves the city, on average, Rs. 6,400-7,200 every day.

A major contributor to the results of the new model is its reliance on waste pickers. Instead of turning its back on the informal sector, the Zero Garbage model incorporates it, making use of the available manpower. The model enhances the quality of work of the waste picker, while also meeting demands for neighborhood cleanliness & limiting garbage sent to landfills. Waste pickers in Katraj earn more money than in other parts of the city &have less hazardous work because of the door-to-door integration.

Zero Garbage Ward project introduces a unique idea, distinctively new approach to a problem solution, implementation design in the context Indian culture and habits of the community. The project involves transformation within large framework.Innovative methods, tools and techniques are used such as ISO, third party auditing.

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

 c.      What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
Any project for that matter at the initial phase would face problems in the initial phase and the main problem that was encountered was lack of citizens participation as during the start of the project people in the area were apprehensive about the whole new system that was to be implemented and had questions about its effectiveness.The main challenge that was primarily encountered was regards to take the effective participation of the people and change the current practice of the methods of waste disposal practices prevelant among the masses and remove the community bins in the area and therefore volunteers help was taken for providing education to the people but despite all the volunteers’ efforts, when the project was first initiated, residents did not provide waste pickers with segregated waste, so continual education was used to alter their behavior.

Cummins India volunteers raised awareness among the residents about the value of waste segregation and distributed bins to the households for segregated waste. Project partners launched “Swatchnta Mitra,” a cleanliness campaign that involved local citizens. In addition, Janwani commissioned a local performer for puppet shows to teach the residents about segregation in a fun and innovative way and therefore the problems were overcome with effective participation from the stakeholders as well citizens.

There were several unintended outcomes that developed during the implementation phase of the project.
Payment to waste pickers: During the first two months of the project, Janwani paid waste pickers Rs. 1 per day per household for door-to-door collection. However, not all waste pickers performed the duty. There was no accountability. Instead, project partners devised a direct user-pay system, where households provide the Rs. 1 per day for collection.

Problems of street sweeping: Street sweepers normally dump collected waste into community waste bins, but in Katraj, the majority of those bins are now gone. The sweepers were left with limited disposal options. To combat this problem sweepers are directed to transport their waste the feederpoints where waste pickers also bring their waste.

Problems of Residents: However, the main challenge to sustaining the Zero Garbage Model is human behavior. In areas where community bins remain in Katraj, household collection rates are lower because residents have the option to use the mixed-waste bins. When these are removed, household collection should approach 100 percent. However, attitudes about cleanliness vary widely. Convincing all residents of the importance of cleanliness could present a challenge in the future. To combat this problem in future replication, Janwani is preparing a research study of residents’ attitudes in the test ward to identify factors that contribute to the probability of participating in waste segregation.

In addition to further research on segregation, Janwani also proposes that future replication focus on door-to-door collection first and segregation second. Cleaner streets and a livable urban environment have a more direct affect on residents. These visual cues are more likely to help sustain changes in waste management behavior over a long period of time.

(d) Use of Resources

 d.      What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
The total budget for the project is listed in the table below:

Partner Year 2010 Year 2011 TOTAL
2012
Janwani $14,000 $10,000 $5000
Pune Municipal Corp. $87,000 $57,000
SWaCH Cooperative $7,000 $10,000
Cummins India -- $65,000
Total Budget (US $) 108000 142000

MOBILISATION OF RESOURCES
In terms of both monetary assistance and manpower, Cummins India was invaluable to the project. In addition to providing $65,000 USD, thousands of volunteers from the company fanned out across the test ward to speak directly with residents and explain the process of keeping organic kitchen waste in a separate bin from plastics, paper and glass. Cummins employees also marched through the streets of the ward and participated in public events to promote cleanliness. Lastly, volunteers met with individual waste pickers, meeting as one professional to another, raising the self esteem of these sanitation workers.

In terms of monetary assistance, Cummins donation went toward provision of infrastructure to improve the quality of life of the waste pickers. The funds helped purchase bins, gloves, raincoats, soap, pushcarts and cycle rickshaws, which aided the waste pickers in their work. Without the financial support of Cummins, the Zero Garbage Ward projected would not have been able to provide these items in such a swift manner.

SWaCH and Janwani worked together to train waste pickers on the new system. In addition to teaching the new system, the number of registered waste pickers in the Katraj area increased from 20 to 45.

Pune Municipal Corporation provided capital, operational and maintainance cost of processing of organic waste in bioas plant. In addtion to these equipments (pushcarts, buckets), safetly gears, health insurance facilities for wastepickers are provided through PMC budget. Vehicles required for transporation of segregated waste such as bell ringing automized vehicles are provided. Space required for segregation of inorganic waste into multiple categories is also provided by PMC in the form of sorting shed. Applying ISO for the project

Sustainability and Transferability

  Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
The Zero Garbage Ward changes how we view waste. Instead of something disposable, we see waste as a renewable resource. This shift makes dumping mixed garbage in a landfill seem wasteful, as well as shameful. The present practice of collecting mixed waste and sending it to landfills is clearly not sustainable given the social unrest at the Urali Devachi landfill and the environmental degradation taking place.

A major factor in both the sustainability and replicability of the new model is its reliance on the waste picker. The model enhances the quality of work of the waste picker, while also meeting demands for neighborhood cleanliness and limiting garbage sent to landfills. It increases the social mobility of the waste picker and promises a better future for their children.
The Zero Garbage Ward also forces citizens of Pune to take responsibility of their waste. It tests residents’ willingness to pay for improved waste management and resource recovery. The associated education campaigns of the project also force citizens to think about how their actions can improve the cleanliness and quality of life in the city.

In addition, effective citywide implementation of the Zero Garbage Ward model can save the Pune significant money. Presently the city produces 1,500 metric tons of waste daily and that total is growing and handing over mixed waste by citizen poses variety of problems.

Pune is now in the process of replicating the Zero Garbage Ward model in 20 additional wards. As the city expands the model to other wards, it will need to seek new private partners to share the burden of implementation costs. It will also need to continue relationships with SWaCH and other waste picker unions. In addition, it will need to be vigilant about educating residents and businesses about the need to segregate wet and dry waste to prevent a reemergence of old habits.

The potential for replication goes beyond the Pune city limits. The Zero Garbage Ward is a model for the rest of India and the developing world because it creates a sustainable, integrated waste management system. The model incorporates the informal sector, creating jobs and providing for a more secure monthly income and potential social mobility. The reuse of organic waste, which in can be up to 70-80% of waste in developing cities, also provides potential solutions for fuel and electricity shortages – common problems throughout the developing world.

The ISO 9001-certified manual created by Janwani and the Pune Municipal Corporation will aid in future replication of the project.The manual outlines the processes, as well as complaint mechanisms to help keep the system on track. The Zero Garbage Model is the first waste management system to receive ISO certification in India. Performance Indicators for monitoring the project are well defined and measurable.

Lessons Learned

 What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
There were several unintended outcomes that developed during the implementation phase of the project. The first dealt with payment to waste pickers for door-to-door collection. During the first two months of the project, Janwani paid waste pickers Rs. 1 per day per household for door-to-door collection. However, not all waste pickers performed the duty. There was no accountability. Instead, project partners devised a direct user-pay system, where households provide the Rs. 1 per day for collection.

In areas where community bins remain in Katraj, household collection rates are lower because residents have the option to use the mixed-waste bins. When these are removed, household collection should approach 100 percent. However, attitudes about cleanliness vary widely. Open plots without community waste bins sometimes become impromptu dumping grounds. Convincing all residents of the importance of cleanliness could present a challenge in the future. To combat this problem in future replication, Janwani is preparing a research study of residents’ attitudes in the test ward to identify factors that contribute to the probability of participating in waste segregation.

Altering the behavior of so many is likely the largest challenge to the project, so Janwani is proposing to alter the policy to adapt to this concern. In the Zero Garbage Ward in Katraj, the initial focus was on the benefits of segregating waste. By making this the primary objective, the Zero Garbage Ward was able to reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill. However, this change does not directly affect local residents’ day-to-day lives. Instead, what they notice is cleaner streets that produce a more livable urban environment. This is the result of door-to-door collection, not waste segregation.

The future of the project will not be without challenges. As the city expands the model to other wards, it will need to seek out new private partners to share the burden of cost. It will also need to forge new relationships with other waste cooperatives because SWaCH Cooperative does not cover the entire city. In addition, it will need to be vigilant about educating residents and businesses about the need to segregate wet and dry wasteto prevent a reemergence of old habits.

Pune’s efforts to confront the problems of solid waste disposal in its city limits should be applauded, but these efforts must also be maintained. The city is making use of important partnerships and achieving results without turning its back on the informal workers that currently represent the municipality’s only mechanism for recycling. Instead, the Zero Garbage Model enhances the quality of work of the waste picker, while also meeting demands for neighborhood cleanliness and limiting garbage sent to landfills. The project also transfers part of the responsibility for waste to the city’s residents, giving them a stake in the outcome. With continued replication and adherence to the Zero Garbage Model, Pune can become a modelof sustainable waste management for other cities in India and across the world.

Contact Information

Institution Name:   Pune Municipal Corporation
Institution Type:   Government Agency  
Contact Person:   Suresh Jagtap
Title:   Joint Municipal Commissioner  
Telephone/ Fax:   +91 – 20-25501081 / 25501104
Institution's / Project's Website:   www.janwani.org;wwwpunecorporation.org
E-mail:   sjagtap@punecorporation.org  
Address:   Department of Solid Waste Management Pune Municipal Corporation Shivajinagar
Postal Code:   411005
City:   Pune
State/Province:   Maharashtra
Country:   India

          Go Back
Print friendly Page