The total solid waste collection in Mumbai, which had dropped below 5,000 mt per day during Covid lockdown, has now bounced back to over 6,200 mt per day. The city witnessed reduced waste generation due to the closure or partial operation of commercial establishments such as malls, large markets and restaurants.
Since April 2022, the solid waste collection has returned to above 6,000 mt tons per day as the city resumed business activities. However, in the last year, the waste collection remained stagnant and did not show any significant increase or decrease, except during the month of Ramzan, when the collection touched 6,900 mt.
Bulk generators like restaurants do not have enough space to segregate and compost their waste, and they sometimes outsource the work to third-party vendors. However, there is no mechanism to verify if these vendors are treating the waste properly.
While Mumbai’s solid waste collection has returned to pre-Covid levels, BMC must ensure that the waste generated in the city is appropriately segregated and treated, especially by bulk generators. This will help reduce the burden on the Deonar dumping ground and prevent environment degradation.
