Soils and Waste Management in Urban India

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) encompasses the functions of collection, transfer, treatment, recycling, resource recovery, and disposal of MSW. The three main MSW treatment options are landfilling, composting, and incineration. Waste management provides an opportunity to tap potential energy to meet part of India&s;s energy demands, simultaneously addressing environmental concerns. The massive scale of urbanization in the country has enhanced the demand for solid waste services. As per the Constitution of India, solid waste management is a state responsibility. MSW includes refuse from households, nonhazardous solid waste from industrial, commercial and institutional establishments including hospitals, market waste, yard waste, and street sweepings. The urban local bodies (ULBs) are responsible for the tasks of solid waste service delivery, with their own staff, equipment, and funds. In most cases now, part of the work is contracted out to private enterprises.