Ways for the Biodegradable Waste Management in Rural Areas

Biodegradable Waste Management in Rural Areas

What is Biodegradable Waste?

    Biodegradable waste comprises kitchen and institutional waste, animal waste, crop residue, discarded fruits and vegetables, and other organic waste such as garden waste in rural areas.

Need for Biodegradable Waste Management

    In rural areas, waste is a severe threat to public health and cleanliness. Organic waste if disposed of in unsafe manner, will lead to the release of methane gas into the environment and contributes to global warming. Despite the waste generated being predominantly organic, incorrect disposal leads to serious problems including an increase of water-borne and vector-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, malaria, dengue, cholera and typhoid. Improper management of solid waste may also lead to environmental pollution and contamination of water bodies, particularly in the monsoon season.

Sources and Types of Biodegradable Waste

1. Markets/shops/hotels: Food waste, fruit and vegetable waste, and dry organic waste

2. Households: Fruit and vegetable peels, and food leftover

3. Horticulture: Leaves, twigs, dry branches, trimmings, flowers, weeds, etc.

4. Institution/religious place: Flowers, food waste and garden waste

5. Cattle/livestock: Cattle dung and feed waste

6. Agriculture: Post-harvest crop residues

Strategy for Implementation

As far as possible, and especially for smaller gram panchayats, household /institutional- level processing of biodegradable waste is preferred. Where decentralized level processing is not possible, community-level waste management should be planned. For the management of waste at the community level, the following steps need to be followed:

1.Identification of households, institutions and quantification of waste generated

2.Gram Sabha resolution on management of biodegradable waste and cattle dung

3.Development of transportation plan from source of waste generation to treatment site

4.Processing/ treatment by on-site compost pits, Community and Village level vermicomposting /composting or Biogas Plants

5.Determine the suitable revenue genera􀆟on model like waste collection fee, sale of compost, sale of slurry and biogas

Technological Options for Biodegradable Waste

1.Pot composting

2.Windrow composting

3.NADEP composting

4.Pit composting (Rectangular)

5.Pit composting (Circular)

6.Vermi composting

7.Rotary drum composting

8.Pile composting

Capacity Building Activities

1.Prepare training calendar

2.Conduct monitoring and evaluation

3.Conduct training sessions for capacity building of school teachers, swachhagrahis, ASHA, anganwadi workers

4.Conduct training for the service provider in construction, repairs and maintenance of assets

5.Engage with local NGO if possible.