Parel housing society segregates 100 per cent waste at source

MUMBAI: Even as data from the municipal corporation reveals that only 5% of the housing societies in Mumbai segregate their waste, a four-building multi-storeyed

MUMBAI: Even as data from the municipal corporation reveals that only 5% of the housing societies in Mumbai segregate their waste, a four-building multi-storeyed apartment complex in Parel is setting an example by segregating 100% of its waste.

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As many as 510 families of Ashok Tower, Parel, created a waste management model that separates trash into seven categories — metal, plastic, paper, e-waste, organics, glass and mixed trash — and includes provisions for recyclable items and compostable waste.

With the help of waste management experts RUR Greenlife (Are You Reducing Reusing Recycling), residents held meetings that were attended by housekeeping staff. “A team of 20 people were trained to go door-to-door collecting waste last September after residents were taught the benefits of waste management,” said Payal Kalra, management committee member. The complex segregates their its waste at separate locations for each of the four towers. “Earlier, waste was collected haphazardly, but after workshops were held, there has been a massive reduction in the waste sent to dumping grounds,” said Nitya Sundaresan, a resident.

The society generates 360kg of organic waste such as fruit and vegetable peelings and discarded food products. Of this, 70kg collected from one tower is sent to six compost drums that use aerobic bio-composting — micro-organisms — to turn it into nutrient-rich compost. The rest is collected by the municipal corporation.

Once the society increases its composting capacity, more organic waste can be composted.

About 500kg of inorganic waste a day and 200kg electronic waste, collected once in two months, is sent to NGOs for recycling.