India's waste management crisis has serious implications for its environment, economy and public health. We focus on creating technologies and solutions that minimize waste generation and convert all waste into useful products. This includes initiatives to promote a circular economy through resource efficient and cleaner production in industries, and maximize resource recovery and recycling for landfill-free cities.
The prevalence of microplastics in the environment has become a major global concern. Plastics based on their size are broadly classified as Macro and Microplastics (<5 mm) and enter the environment through various routes.
India generates close to 3.46 million tonnes of plastic waste annually and CPCB estimates suggest close to 60% of this waste is recycled.
सरकार की इतनी बड़ी मात्रा में जमा हो रहे कचरे से निपटने की प्रतिबद्धता का पता प्लास्टिक अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन नियम 2016 से चलता है जिसमें सरकार ने अगस्त 2021 में तीसरी बार संशोधन किया है। अगस्त 2021 में भारत सरकार द्वारा किए गए संशोधन से यह पता लगता है कि भारत इस मुद्दे का समाधान खोजने के लिए नए-नए प्रयास कर रहा है। हालांकि इस मामले में राजनीतिक सहमति के साथ-साथ नीतिगत हस्तक्षेपों के नतीजे सकारात्मक रहे हैं, लेकिन नीतियों का जमीनी स्तर पर निष्पादन अब भी एक बड़ी चुनौती बना हुआ है।
In this article, Hans Nicolai Adam, Emmy Noklebye, and Girija K Bharat discuss biomedical and plastic waste management in the post COVID-19 world. The authors focus on the role of the informal sector, which plays a significant role in India's waste management systems, and is assuming a growing role in plastic waste management. Yet, the informal waste management sector remains highly vulnerable, as evidenced by the authors' study.
GIZ India and TERI under the Indo-German project titled 'Development and Management of Waste NAMA (Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action) in India' have adopted the city of Panaji for pilot demonstration of better waste management practices.
On 17th October 2022 | 10:30 AM - 02:00 PM
The interactive webinar aims to expand on the issue of plastic waste management and its impact on human health.
On 8 October 2021, 03:00 PM to 4:30 PM IST
The webinar aims at highlighting various leads being taken to derive nano-materials from different waste resources via a 'Circular Economy' model.
On 7 October 2021, 02:00 PM to 4:30 PM IST
During COVID-19, the management of single-use plastic (SUP) items remains a challenge in India. TERI is hosting a webinar on plastic waste management and raising public awareness on plastic pollution.
COVID-19 outbreak was declared as pandemic and health emergency was announced by the World Health Organisation on March 11, 2020. Research studies also revealed that waste materials like cardboard, plastics and steel also are carriers of COVID-19 virus and it can last upto 72 hours on these, reflecting concerns for waste stream workers and recyclers.
To envision a new world post COVID-19 in the context of urban sanitation and planning and define the priorities for action by the development community.
During the webinar "Redefining Multi-Layer Packaging Plastic Waste (Category III)," organized by UNCRD and AARC, Dr Suneel Pandey, Senior Director, TERI, said that regulation for promoting 3R, circular economy practices can speed up the effort to reduce end-of-life combustion.
Fire at Dhapa landfill in Kolkata is self-sustained by methane supply from biodegradable waste. Methane is formed when biodegradable wastes degrade without contact with air as layers of the new waste pile over them. Once the methane gas is formed, it escapes through any fissure it finds, said Dr Sunil Pandey, Director of Environment & Waste Management Division, TERI.
Many of the banners erected ahead of Durga Puja are made of single-use plastic with little or no demand for recycling. Dr Sunil Pandey, Director, Environment and Waste Management Division, TERI said that the PVC banners were not easy to recycle and have no or very little recycling value.
The efficiency of MCG's action against bulk waste generators will depend on their share in the total waste the city generates daily. If all BWGs produce only a fraction of the city's waste, taking action against them will not have a major impact on the Bandhwari landfill, and a city-wide approach would be needed, said Dr Suneel Pandey, Director of Environment and Waste Management Division, TERI.
Up-to-date data on implementation of the plastic ban is lacking, potentially hindering the success of the initiative, experts have said.
TERI will be providing technological support for the project to recycle wastewater. If successful, it will be implemented across Haryana.
Plastics not only are enduring, lightweight, and available at low prices, but also have very good thermal and electrical insulation properties. The versatile properties of various plastic polymers— being water-resistant, non-porous, ductile and malleable—make them suitable for manufacturing a wide range of products that also bring medical and technological advances in our modern society.
Fostering circularity in plastic use is an effective way to reduce contamination of marine and coastal environments with plastics and man-made debris. However, there are many challenges down this path.
Anthropogenic activities like (i) agriculture fertilisers, (ii) coastal pisciculture, (i) sewage discharge, (iv) industrial activity, (v) burning fossil fuels and (vi) effluents from ports increase nutrients in surface water and seas. Nitrate pollution is largely caused by agriculture run-off, discharge from industry and manure or sewage. Phosphate pollution is tied to improper treatment of detergents in wastewater and from agro-fertilisers.
Urban Sanitation and Need for Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) in India The Government of India has undertaken an ambitious social change endeavour of clean and open defecation free (ODF) India. Sustained efforts in this direction has improved the sanitation scenario in India, which in turn would help in achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 6 of universal and equitable access to safe and aff ordable drinking water and adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all.
