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.