20-June-2024-Special-Article

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT (SWM) CESS

Solid Waste Management (SWM) cess is a user fee or charge levied by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India to fund waste management services. It is a form of tax imposed to cover the costs associated with waste collection, disposal, and processing.

About SWM Cess

• Definition: A fee charged by ULBs for managing solid waste.
• Purpose: To fund waste management services and infrastructure.
• Legal Provisions: Mandated by the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.

Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016

Replacement of Old Rules

• Previous Rules: Replaces the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000.
• Focus: Emphasizes waste segregation at the source and extended producer responsibility.

Key Features

Waste Segregation & Disposal:

• Residents must segregate waste into wet (biodegradable), dry (recyclable), and hazardous categories.
• Segregated waste is collected by authorized collectors or local bodies.

Payments:

• Residents pay user fees for waste collection.
• Fines for littering or failing to segregate waste.

Waste Processing:

• Encourages composting or bio-methanation of biodegradable waste.
• Guidelines for landfills, waste-to-energy plants, and special handling in hilly areas.

Local Authority Duties:

• Municipalities are responsible for collecting segregated waste.
• Ensure proper processing and disposal of waste.
• Levy user fees to cover costs.

Extended Producer Responsibility:

• Manufacturers of disposable packaging must contribute to waste management systems.

Other Waste Management Initiatives

• Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016 and Amendments, 2022: Regulations for managing plastic waste, including bans on certain plastic products.
• Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016: Guidelines for handling and disposing of biomedical waste.
• Waste to Wealth Portal: Platform for developing technologies to convert waste into energy and resources.
• Waste to Energy: Converts municipal and industrial solid waste into electricity or heat.
• Project REPLAN: Produces carry bags by mixing processed plastic waste with cotton fibre rags.

Rationale Behind Increasing SWM Cess Collection

High Costs of SWM Services

• Complex Process: SWM is resource-intensive and consumes up to 50% of ULB budgets.
• Expenses: Includes capital investments, operational costs, salaries, and plant maintenance.

Revenue Challenges

• Low Revenue: Minimal income from SWM services despite high expenditure.
• Example: Bengaluru spends Rs. 1,643 crores on SWM but generates only Rs. 20 lakhs from SWM services.

Limited Recyclability

• Low Recyclability: Only 1-2% of dry waste is recyclable.
• Financial Strain: Non-recyclable and non-biodegradable waste leads to negligible revenue from recycling.

Operational Challenges

• Poor Segregation: Lack of proper waste segregation at the source complicates processing.
• Market Issues: Limited market for products derived from waste processing.

Disposal Costs

• High Costs: Disposal of non-compostable and non-recyclable waste is expensive due to transportation to distant facilities.

Methods of Solid Waste Management

Recycling:

• Converts used materials into new products.
• Reduces resource reliance and saves energy.

Landfills:

• Disposes of waste that cannot be recycled or composted.
• Modern landfills minimize environmental impact.

Incineration:

• Burns waste at high temperatures, reducing volume.
• Raises concerns about air pollution.

Composting:

• Processes organic waste into nutrient-rich fertilizer.
• Enhances soil health.

Measures to Reduce Operational Expenditure on SWM Services

Waste Segregation at Source:

• Improves yield from composting and recycling.
• Reduces operational costs.

Reducing Single-use Plastic:

• Limits use of non-recyclable plastics.
• Lowers transportation and disposal costs.

Decentralized Composting:

• Sets up Micro Composting Centres (MCCs) at the ward level.
• Reduces transportation costs.

Self-Waste Processing by Bulk Generators:

• Encourages institutions to process waste in-house.
• Reduces burden on ULBs.

Information, Education, and Awareness (IEC):

• Prevents open littering.
• Effective campaigns reduce labour needed for street cleaning, allowing resources to be redirected.

Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 Report (GWMO 2024)

Global Scenario: Over two billion tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated annually.

Waste Collection Issues:

• One-third of the global population faces severe waste management issues.
• Over 2.7 billion people lack proper waste collection services.
• Approximately 540 million tonnes of MSW remain uncollected.

Future Projections: Waste generation expected to rise from 2.3 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050.

Barriers to Waste Management:

• Lack of public awareness and education.
• Exclusion from decision-making processes.
• Technical barriers in recycling mixed waste.
• Bureaucratic hurdles for private sector involvement.

Conclusion

Increasing the SWM cess is a necessary step to address the financial strain faced by ULBs in managing solid waste.

Effective waste management requires improved segregation, reduced use of single-use plastics, decentralized composting, self-waste processing by bulk generators, and robust IEC campaigns.

The Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 highlights the urgent need for better waste management practices worldwide, emphasizing the importance of public awareness, technical innovation, and inclusive decision-making.

Mains Question:

1. Discuss the rationale behind the recent proposal to increase the Solid Waste Management (SWM) cess in Bengaluru, highlighting the key challenges faced by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in managing solid waste and the measures proposed to reduce operational expenditure. (150 WORDS)