Govt Regulations Around Construction, Demolition Waste Gets Tighter

The construction boom and rapid urbanisation in India has given rise to massive waste generation. The debris caused by demolition comprises of non-biodegradable materials like concrete, cement plaster, plastics, timber, metal, etc. which is hazardous for the environment. Ministry of Environment and Forests has estimated that around 530 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste is generated annually.

Construction and consequent generation of waste is expected to rise in the coming years. Dumping of waste on roadsides or landfill is a common practice followed all these years which has scarred the urban landscape of the cities. Therefore, there is a great need for a scientific system for processing of such waste. Besides, illegal dumping is another major issue that governments in all states are trying to tackle. The Indian government is spearheading several innovative measures as well as regulations as part of sustainable urbanisation. They cover waste-to-energy, waste-to-compost and the re-use of construction and demolition waste (C&D).

PropGuide brings you more updates on the story.

The process of C&D waste management involves the following:

• Storage and segregation
• Collection and transportation
• Recycling and reuse
• Disposal

Recycling of the waste matter is a vital aspect of the management process. The recycled aggregate can be used as general bulk fill, sub base material in road construction, canal lining, fills in drainage projects or for making new concrete. Other products such as metals or wood can be subjected to suitable recycling methods for reuse. However, what India needs to augment the organised collection, transportation, utilisation and disposal of C&D waste.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

The CPCB has come up with draft guidelines for management of C&D waste. The statutory body, which is responsible for performing environmental assessments to check pollution levels, is actively focusing on sustainable management of building waste. The draft guidelines promote an integrated approach to be adopted throughout a project for environmental management of the generated waste. It also focuses on minimising environmental impact and providing specific guidance in devising plans for satisfactory C&D waste management plans. The guidelines also addressed the issue of buffer zones around waste processing and disposal facilities.

The MoEFCC (Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change) in March 2016 notified the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016. Some of the salient features of the draft rules include:

• Segregation of construction and demolition waste and depositing it to the collection centres for processing
• Barring people from dumping waste on roadsides and mandatory recycling
• Permission for construction works would be granted only after submission of a complete waste management plan to local authorities
• Payment of relevant charges for collection, transportation, processing and disposal by large generators of waste

Here are some updates and latest news on this front.

Haryana: The state of Haryana will receive its first construction and demolition waste processing plant. With a cost of 13 crore, the plant will be situated at Basai village in Gurgaon spanning 3 acres of land. The plant will have the capacity to process 300 tonnes of waste per day.

Delhi: The first construction and demolition waste plant was established at Burari in NCR, which has been a saviour in preventing further damage to river Yamuna caused due to the dumping of such waste.

Rajasthan: The state government in Rajasthan recently decided to set up Construction and Demolition of Waste Processing Plant (CDWP) to manage the waste of 941 tonnes per day. The plant would be situated in 29 cities including Jaipur.

Odisha: The Municipal Corporation in Bhubaneswar has recently hiked the penalty on individuals and agencies dumping C&D waste from Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,500.

Andhra Pradesh: The municipal corporation of Tirupati has signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with a reputed company for C&D Waste Management Project to be set up across five-acre area in Thukivakam.

Also Read: Some Ways In Which Municipal Corporations Make Your Work Easier