Stop Burning Waste: A Reader Sends Us Their Solution For Pollution

There should be simple, eco-friendly and economical solutions to the problem, writes a reader.

A worker moves through a pile of empty plastic bottles at a recycling workshop. 

(Photo: Reuters)

Since you asked for suggestions, here are 3 suggestions from me:

Private Diesel Vehicles

Why does the government even allow private diesel vehicles used for non-commercial purposes?

Diesel is extremely polluting (way more than petrol, despite all the claims of diesel vehicle manufacturing companies). And it is highly subsidised as well. But it is subsidised because it is used by transporters for transporting essential goods and raising its price would lead to overall inflation. But what is the logic behind providing subsidised (and highly polluting) fuel for private vehicles?

This issue has been raised by former environment minister Jairam Ramesh and also by the Supreme Court but the diesel vehicle companies have managed to sweep it under the carpet. Hope you can raise this issue.

Waste Burning

Why does the government allow waste to be incinerated (in open or in incinerators)?

Waste incineration is a huge cause of atmospheric pollution. A large amount of waste is burnt (either by public or by municipal employers/sweepers themselves), especially where collection and transportation sytems are not good enough.

Other waste is taken to landfills where it catches fire (think of the Deonar dumpyard which catches fire at least a couple of times each year and the entire area becomes a living hell).

Finally, waste is taken to incinerators which are just fancy and hugely expensive machines for burning waste, but the effect is the same – massive air pollution (think of the Sukhdev Vihar residents case which has been going on for years and studies by organisations such as GAIA which show how deadly fumes are emitted by waste incinerators which claim to produce power/electricity by burning waste).

Instead, waste should be segregated, organic waste should be composed in a decentralised fashion (housing societies and institutions should compost their own organic waste as it happens in Pune) and other waste should be given to waste pickers who will ensure the recyclable waste goes to the recycling chain (all this is clearly spelled out in the MSW Rules, 2016 which the government chooses to ignore).

Stubble Burning

The issue of stubble burning arises every year in the winter and then dies down soon enough. Nothing is done. There should be simple, eco-friendly and economical solutions to the problem. Why can’t we find them? For instance, MGNREGA workers could be employed to manually remove the stubble and use it for compost or preparing animal feed.

(This article was sent to Fit by Anjor Bhaskar as we attempt to find solutions for pollution in partnership with #MyRightToBreathe this diwali.)

(Breathe In, Breathe Out: Are you finding it tough to breathe polluted air? Join hands with FIT in partnership with #MyRightToBreathe to find a solution to pollution. Send in your suggestions to [e-mail] or WhatsApp @ [phone])