- Waste management is a global problem, especially in developing countries like India, due to rapid population growth and industrialisation.
- Reducing waste at the source by using less, avoiding excess packaging and non-biodegradable materials helps minimise waste generation.
- Reusing waste is essential because natural resources are limited; reuse helps conserve resources and reduce the need for new raw materials.
- Simple reuse practices such as using cloth bags, rechargeable batteries, repairing items and making handicrafts from old objects reduce waste effectively.
- Innovation, segregation and safe disposal methods like sanitary landfills, incineration and waste treatment help control the spread of waste and pollution.
Key Points
Key Points: Reducing Waste
Key Points: Recycling of Waste
- Recycling is the process of collecting and processing waste materials to make new and useful products.
- Recycling conserves natural resources, especially exhaustible minerals like iron ore, copper and bauxite, and also reduces plastic pollution.
- Plastic is non-biodegradable, and recycling it helps control waste accumulation; about 60% of plastic waste in India is recycled.
- Recycling reduces landfill waste, saves energy and lowers production costs, as less energy is used compared to making products from fresh raw materials.
- Examples of recycling include using bagasse to make paper, scrap iron to make steel, fly ash to make bricks and cement, and recycling plastic to make new products.
Key Points: Government Initiatives to Manage Waste
- Government initiatives include laws by the Ministry of Environment, CPCB actions, Ganga Action Plan, Swachh Bharat Mission and restrictions on single-use plastics.
- Swachh Bharat Mission (2014) aims to eliminate open defecation, improve solid waste management and create open-defecation-free villages.
- Municipalities collect waste door-to-door, segregate it into biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste and ensure safe disposal.
- Social initiatives involve community participation, waste segregation at source, composting and public pressure on the government to prevent environmental damage.
- Individual initiatives include reducing consumption, using cloth bags, segregating and composting kitchen waste, recycling products and saying ‘No’ to single-use items.
