Sustainable SWM through a Zero Waste Pilot at Ward 173

Following a detailed proposal (based on a comprehensive mapping and rigorous waste characterisation study conducted in Ward 173) prepared by the Initiative on Waste, Informal Workers and Chennai’s Future and accepted for implementation by the Corporation of Chennai, this project involves assisting and advising the Corporation of Chennai in the implementation of the pilot, as well as promoting sustainable solid waste management practices elsewhere in the city.

Starting in 2013, a series of public consultations anchored by the Initiative on Waste, Informal Workers and Chennai’s Future came to the conclusion that Chennai needed to pursue sustainable and inclusive SWM practices and in order to move the city towards sustainable SWM, a working zero-waste pilot in a single ward was required as a model. This led to the Zero-Waste pilot at Ward 173.

In our work, we employ a combination of rigorously conducted research focusing on the creation of both quantitative and qualitative data, as well as advocacy and stakeholder engagement.

As a part of the research we engage with both Governmental agencies as well as a diverse group of non-governmental actors (including RWAs, workers groups, other researchers, etc.) to advocate for the implementation of a zero waste pilot in Ward 173 (in Zone XIII – Adyar). At the one end we work with residents and commercials establishments in the ward to create awareness on source segregation and in situ organic waste processing and at the other we advocate with the Corporation to stream line door-to-door collections, establish resource recovery parks and organic waste processing units in the ward. We are also facilitating the process of organizing a monitoring committee of citizens to oversee the implementation of the pilot in the ward. Through the model that we propose we also support for the inclusion of informal waste workers in the system.

We also advise resident welfare associations and others on the implementation of sustainable waste management.

The Initiative’s work on sustainable SWM, led by the team now at CAG, has produced a detailed and scientific methodology for conducting waste characterization studies to better inform the planning of waste management systems in urban landscapes.

The insights gained from data collection along these lines have supported the city’s efforts to pilot sustainable SWM in Corporation of Chennai Ward 173.

The Initiative has also prepared a Waste Diagnostic Toolkit that gives step by step instructions on how to plan for sustainable SWM using a data-driven approach.

Sustainable SWM through a Zero Waste Pilot at Ward 173

Data Driven Planning for Solid Waste Management in Chennai

Working Paper on Data Driven Planning for Solid Waste Management in Chennai