Solid Waste Management
             
       
             
 
Back ground
 
Bangalore generates around 3000 tons of waste everyday from households and commercial establishments. Around 70% of this waste is organic. The balance is accounted for by inorganic and hazardous waste.
 
Bangalore currently does not have a scientific landfill. The only authorized disposal site is the Karnataka Composting Development Corporation (KCDC) which has the capacity to process only 25% of organic waste from the city.
 
Ultimately an overwhelmingly large portion of Bangalore’s waste finds its way into open sites within the city and its outskirts. This waste is very often burnt in the open resulting in tragic degradation to our environment and adverse impacts on human health.
 
Why Solid waste Management
       
 
  •      		 Bangalore generates more than 3000 tons of waste per day  
           
     
  •      		 More than 70% of our household garbage is biodegradable. It can be recycled and composted into precious nutrient material called ‘ compost’ that can be used for plants  
           
     
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    Every cubic meter of garbage can foster about 750,000 flies and it becomes the breeding ground for disease bearing bacteria

    		  
           
     
  •      		 Stray dogs and pests such as Mice, Rats, Cockroaches etc. dwell and thrive in heaps of garbage disposed irresponsibly  
           
     
  •      		 Stray dogs and pests such as Mice, Rats, Cockroaches etc. dwell and thrive in heaps of garbage disposed irresponsibly  
           
     
  •      		 Setting fire to garbage dumps results in the emission of harmful gases these gases cause respiratory ailments  
           
     
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    Hundreds of cows die every year when they unsuspectingly eat polythene bags along with other food items

    		  
           
     
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    Careless dumping of polythene bags into the roadside drains choke the entire drainage system and results in flooding of streets and houses

    		  
     
    Aerobic composting
     
    Green Technologies is practicing Aerobic composting since 2003 the system was designed and developed by Dr. Balasubhramanyan a retired senior scientist from NASA.
     
    Aerobic composting is the process by which organic waste is converted to compost or manure by micro-organisms which grow in the presence of air/oxygen. In the proposed system, a cluster of individual compost stacks will be constructed of brick and cement. A diffuser network within each stack will ensure that the stack will be properly aerated. In addition a blower will be used to blow air into the stack for additional aeration. This also ensures that no smell whatsoever emanates from the waste. Each stack will have a metal grid placed about 6 inches above the bottom of the stack. The waste will be placed over the grid. There will also be a set of 3 metal boxes fabricated with powder coated perforated sheets placed over the compost stacks. These boxes will be filled with charcoal, which again serves to absorb any unwanted odour.
     
    Advantages of aerobic composting
     
           
     
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    Aerobic system can be designed  to handle as low as 5 Kgs of wet waste per day to over 1000 Kgs of wet waste

    		 
           
     
  •      		 The composting plant can be designed according the space available, space required need not be of a specific dimension  
           
     
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    The compost cycle takes lesser time (45 to 55 days)

    		  
           
     
  •      		 One time capital expenditure which is comparatively low  
           
     
  •      		 Operating cost are very low, since there are no machines involved  
           
     
  •      		 Easy to operative and maintain, a lay person can handle with a very minimal training  
           
     
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    Needs very little electricity and water to run composting digesters

    		 
           
     
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    The system is 100% odor free, If maintained regularly

    		  
           
     
  •      		 Day to day operations requires very minimal time which means same people can be engaged in other activities  
           
     
  •      		 A liquid byproduct which is released from the system is called laechet is highly concentrated  and rich in nutrition which can be diluted and sprayed onto the leaf mulch or can watered to the plants and trees  
           
     
  •      		 The end product i.e. compost is 100% pathogen free and it retains all nutrition  
           
     
  •      		 The excess compost generated can be sold there are many to buy  
           
     
  •      		 The Aerobic composting system is running for more than 14 years in Sanjaynagar at a community composting facility unlike other systems which have become show piece in many places.
    		  
           
    Few of the projects to mention
     
      Apartment complex : Brigade Regency and Renaissance Park 1 in Mallewshwaram,
           
      Institutions : SBI Local head office, St Mark’s Road, IIMB Bannerghatta Road, and
    Central Prisons, Hosur Road
           
      Community compost facility : Sanjaynagar, Rajarajeshwarinagar and RajendraNagar (near Koramanagala)

     

     

    		  
         
     
    " Water water every where, not a drop to drink"                                                                "Rain water is a gift from nature. Catch it when and where it falls"