This document discusses the concept of zero waste and its potential benefits for India. It defines zero waste as a goal that reduces waste volume and toxicity through redesigning products and recognizing waste as a resource. The key aspects of zero waste are reduce, redesign, repair, reuse, and recycle. Achieving zero waste could create new jobs in reuse and recycling industries. It would also reduce waste transportation and related emissions. India could benefit from zero waste through carbon credits, cost savings, decentralized treatment, new policies, and incentives to promote education, clean technologies, and green jobs. Full implementation of zero waste principles would help work towards a more sustainable future.

1. “Zero Waste”
A Concept or Reality????
Avick Sil
Senior Manager
Environment Policy and
Research India (EPRI)
219, Gopi Cine Mall, Nana Shankar Sheth
Road, Dombivli (W) – 421202, Maharashtra

2. LCA of Waste
Generation
Recovered Materials
Water Materials
Reused Materials from energy
production
Environment
Raw materials Manufacture Manufactured Use of
Environment Products
of products products
Domestic Waste
Industrial Scraps Industrial Waste
Agricultural Waste
Source: Vesilind, P. A., Worrell, W., and Reinhart, D. (2002). “Solid waste engineering”. Brooks/Cole, Pacific Grove, California, USA.

3. Waste Generation
What is Done Currently
Un-segregated waste Disposal at community bins Collection and transportation Disposal without any treatment
Sil, A., Wakadikar, K., Kumar, S., Kumar, R. (2011). "Driving Characteristics of Waste Transportation Vehicles and their Effect on Emission Load: A Case Study of Mumbai,
India”. Waste Management, 31, 1661 – 1665.

4. What are the solution for India
Short term priorities
Protect public health
Improve quality of life
Medium term priorities
Environmental degradation
Better land use
Long term priorities
 Sustainability of our planet
ZERO WASTE

5. What is Zero Waste
Zero Waste is a pragmatic and visionary goal that attempts to
emulate sustainable development through:
Encourage the redesign and manufacturing of products to reduce their waste volume and
toxicity of waste and materials;
Recognize that one person’s trash is another’s treasure and all materials are resources/
commodities.

6. The Concept
– Reduce (source reduction)
– Redesign
– Repair (fix)
– Reuse
– Recycle (everything else)
– Regulate

7. Why Zero
Waste

8. Job Creation:
Reuse and Recycling vs. Landfill
Type of Operation Jobs per 10,000 TPY
Product Reuse
Computer reuse 296
Textile Reclamation 85
Misc. Durable Reuse 62
Wooden Pallet Repair 28
Recycling-Based Manufacturers 25
Paper Mills 18
Glass Product Manufacturers 26
Plastic Product Manufacturers 93
Conventional Materials Recovery Facilities 10
Composting 4
Landfill 1
Source: Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Washington DC, 1997; Wasting and Recycling in the United States 2000”; GrassRoots Recycling
Network, Prepared by Brenda Platt and Neil Seldman

9. What takes to Achieve this

10. How to Achieve for Municipalities
Emissions
CDM
Waste Generation Transportation Landfilling
Env Cost Waste to landfills
Fuel Cost
Man power
Biodegradable Waste Community Based
Treatment
Proper Segregation Non - biodegradable Recycle, Reuse
Waste
Inert
Incentive Community
Technologies Economics
Schemes Participations

11. What benefit for India
CDM from existing landfills
Reduction of waste transportation vehicles and emission from them
Reduction in fuel and savings from them
Decentralised treatment process
New policies
Incentive scheme
Education, awareness and outreach programme
Clean technologies
Recycle and reuse
Green jobs
Green products and green labels
Future benefit

12. If you’re not f or Zero Waste,
how much waste are you f or?
Contact;
avick@eprindia.com
avick1114@gmail.com