Mumbai’s civic sanitation force, more than 28,000 strong, is battling an unrelenting daily load of over 6,500 metric tonnes of waste. From household garbage and industrial refuse to hazardous e-waste and construction debris, the scale of operations exposes both the city’s dependence on its invisible workforce and the urgent need for sustainable waste solutions.
The Solid Waste Management system under the municipal corporation functions as the city’s backbone. Each morning, sanitation workers begin their duties long before dawn, clearing roads, cleaning drains and collecting refuse from households and businesses. Their interventions are vital in preventing outbreaks of disease and mitigating flooding during monsoon downpours. Yet despite their critical role, they work with limited protective gear, low job security and under constant exposure to health risks. Mumbai’s waste streams are expanding. Alongside conventional household garbage, civic authorities are struggling to contain hazardous refuse, including biomedical and e-waste, as well as 2,500 metric tonnes of daily construction debris. With over 6,000 construction sites active last year, the challenge is compounded by dust pollution, forcing workers to wash city roads daily outside the monsoon season. Experts say this strain on human resources is unsustainable without stronger citizen cooperation and policy enforcement.
The city’s landfills remain another flashpoint. Around 5,900 metric tonnes of waste are sent every day to the Kanjurmarg landfill, while the Deonar site, nearly at capacity, handles only 500–700 tonnes. The closure of Gorai and Mulund landfills has left fewer alternatives. Bio-mining efforts at Mulund have cleared nearly 70 per cent of legacy waste, and a waste-to-energy plant is under construction at Deonar, but progress remains slow compared to the city’s mounting waste burden. Illegal dumping has further complicated the crisis. From construction debris on highways to household garbage in stormwater drains, non-compliance by bulk waste generators and residents continues to choke the system. Officials warn that dumping waste into nullahs is a major cause of waterlogging. A citywide drive launched this week seeks to clear floating debris from drains, but the campaign’s success depends heavily on community participation.
Despite several initiatives such as the Pink Army of women sanitation workers and enforcement notices to bulk generators, citizen engagement remains the weakest link in Mumbai’s waste-free vision. Compliance remains low among large housing societies and commercial establishments that are legally required to process waste on-site. Without systemic segregation at the source, even the most advanced infrastructure will remain under pressure. Urban planners argue that Mumbai cannot rely on landfill expansion or incineration alone. Sustainable solutions require decentralised waste processing, strict enforcement against violators and above all, a change in civic behaviour. While the sanitation workforce quietly sustains the city’s resilience, the responsibility of a cleaner, healthier Mumbai must ultimately be shared by its residents.
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