Madanapalle's Journey Towards Zero Waste City Under Swachh Bharat Mission
UPSC / SSC current affairs note · IR
Why in news
Madanapalle municipality in Andhra Pradesh is transforming into a 'zero waste city' through scientific waste management and resource recovery, inspired by Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0. This initiative showcases effective decentralized waste processing and recycling, setting a model for other urban local bodies.
Background
Madanapalle generates about 62 tonnes of solid waste daily. The municipality has implemented systematic waste segregation at source, scientific processing, and resource recovery to achieve zero waste goals.
Key facts
Madanapalle generates ~62 TPD solid waste: 25.50 TPD dry, 36 TPD wet, 0.50 TPD domestic hazardous waste.
Wet waste: ~15.50 TPD processed at municipal compost plant via windrow method yielding ~4.65 TPD compost; ~3 TPD processed via vermicomposting yielding ~1.20 TPD nutrient-rich compost.
Dry waste: recyclables sent to Material Recovery Facility (MRF) and then to authorized recycling units; non-recyclables sent to cement factories for co-processing.
Municipality operates door-to-door collection and a Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (RRR) centre for e-waste, old clothes, toys, books, shoes – repaired, reused, or distributed to slums, homeless, and old age homes.
Creative 'waste-to-art' initiative using discarded tyres to decorate public spaces and parks, promoting environmental awareness.
Bio-mining and bio-remediation cleared ~36,512 metric tonnes of legacy waste, freeing ~9.40 acres of land; ~5 acres converted into green urban spaces.
Recovered materials like Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) sent to cement plants; soil and inert materials used for filling low-lying areas.
Segregation at source improved calorific value of recyclables and reduced mixed waste reaching disposal sites.
Prelims pointers
- Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0)
- Material Recovery Facility (MRF)
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (RRR) Centre
- Windrow composting
- Vermicomposting
- Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF)
- Bio-mining and Bio-remediation
- Zero Waste City concept
- Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh
Mains angles
- Discuss the role of decentralized waste management in achieving urban sustainability, citing Madanapalle's model.
- Critically examine the effectiveness of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 in promoting scientific waste processing and resource recovery.
- Analyze the challenges and opportunities in scaling up zero waste initiatives in Indian cities.