This apartment block in Malleswaram recycles and disposes of its own wastes

This apartment block in Malleswaram recycles and disposes of its own wastes, and very efficiently too
Aarthi R | TNN

Bangalore: A row of blue bins is stationed in the compound of Renaissance Park I apartment block in Malleswaram — each is neatly labelled for various types of waste. There are bags in the basement for dry wastes, compost pits for kitchen wastes and a regular collection drive for leftover chunks of bio-wastes. That makes up the complete recycling unit.
This changeover came about in just a year — it looks simple, and runs like clockwork. Plastic bags are strictly not used, and nearly 98% of the 120 families comply with this system.
It is a small project, and does not involve logistics to get the wastes to the landfills — just tried and tested recycling methods. Besides, residents don’t need to run behind the local BBMP men for waste disposal.
HOW IT BEGAN
The apartment association embarked on the project more than a year ago. A pilot attempt was made in January this year with 20 families and two compost bins for kitchen wastes. It also got separate bins for dry wastes — paper, plastics, metals, etc.
“The main problem was segregation of wastes. The process had to begin in our homes. It required putting wastes into different dustbins — instead of one dustbin, we use four. This practise needs time and people need to be educated and also equipped,’’ explains association secretary Sowmya Vishwanathan. They have also tied up with recyclers like ITC for disposal of the segregated dry wastes, which also gets them some revenue.
They started clueless but now have a way out for almost all their domestic wastes — from chocolate wrappers to kitchen wastes and even diapers, condoms and sanitary napkins. All handled by a composite team that includes the association, residents and housekeeping staff.
This apart, the association also started earning on the wastes, alongside reducing the annual expenditure on maintaining the garden. Everybody put in effort towards this end.
TACKLING BIO WASTES
The residents are excited about their attempt with bio-wastes, which started from July 1. Waste is tied up in cloth-lined newspaper bags with stringties, and packed in eco-friendly plastic bags.
While these paper bags provide sustained employment for a local NGO that houses people with Down’s Syndrome, the residents clear off their weekly stock of newspapers, giving it away to the NGO. They have a tie-up with an agency to dispose of these wastes on a weekly basis for a small fee. But it’s negligible considering the benefits, say the members. Payment is made from the association’s maintenance fund.
TACKLING WASTES
WET WASTES: Mainly kitchen wastes QUANTITY: 100 kg everyday Collected by housekeeping staff and treated in compost pits; manure used for gardens DRY WASTES: Paper, plastics, metal etc QUANTITY: 100 kg every week Collected and disposed to recyclers every Sunday E-wastes: Batteries, bulbs, DVDs, CDs Quantity: Variable Collected in e-waste bins for recycling
Bio-Wastes: Diapers, sanitary napkins, condoms, syringes, medicines etc Quantity: 5-7 kg daily Daily stock collected in a bin to be disposed of to a biowaste recycling agency on a weekly basis, paying a nominal fee GAINING FROM WASTES
ANNUAL SAVINGS: Nearly Rs 70,000 on waste management and reduced spending on manure EARNINGS: Rs 350-400 a week on dry wastes to recyclers SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: Provides employment to NGOs QUO TE HANGERS Being a working woman, it was initially difficult to completely get used to this process of waste segregation. But soon, I saw a change. It’s all about the mindset Vaijayanti | RESIDENT It’s nice to see that we have even the kids involving themselves. Even my maid now tries simple waste segregation at her house Sheetal | RESIDENT If there’s a system in place, it’s easy to pass it on. Much of it requires educating the people in a way they feel comfortable Sharada | RESIDENT