NITI Aayog hails Indore as the benchmark model for plastic waste management in India

Known as the cleanest city in India, Indore has now been hailed as the benchmark model for plastic waste management in the country by the NITI Aayog. As per reports, the city's innovative garbage management concept not only reduces plastic waste but also recycles it for construction projects, promoting the ideas of sustainable development among 2 million people. The module also favours the set up of economical ways to tackle waste management and to ensure an independent system to run its activities.

Supporting sustainable development & waste management

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The NITI Aayog has compiled 18 case studies for different issues, with respect to various segments of urban waste management to issue a manual of 'Sustainable Urban Plastic Waste Management'. The prospective draft aims at capacity building of urban local bodies and designated stakeholders at the city-level management, across India. Reportedly, the manual was released with the help of the UN Development Programme at an event in NCRT Delhi on Monday.

The manual highlighted that local and economic solutions and innovations are essential and elaborated on the best examples, including that of Indore. The 'clean city' is home to almost 2 million people that generate around 900-1,000 metric tonnes of waste every day, details the document. Around 14% of this is plastic waste can fill up to 5-7 shipping containers. However, plastic waste is instead recycled and reused here as construction material.

Indore is following the footsteps of Bhopal's 'circular economy'

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The concept is based on Bhopal's 'circular economy' module that sets up an economic system to manage waste and the increasing need for resources, simultaneously. As per reports, this prototype further streamlines sustainable resource management, reducing new production and applying disposed plastics.

The model employs a thorough cyclic system, from hand over to collection followed by scanning and segregation, to shred and bale single-use plastic waste. The bales are then transported to co-processing units at cement kilns or give for road projects.

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The process advantages the waste collectors and builders, paving the way for socio-economic harmony as well, added reports. Most of the waste collectors are people who belong to economically or educationally marginalised groups. This process helps them by giving them a means of living and contribute to the environment at the same time, the manual said.

As per the report, a pilot recovery centre was set up in Indore after the success of the Bhopal project. This centre has boosted the creation of self-help groups across the city, actively deploying 3,500 waste pickers to further the goal of the management plan.