Latest news with #SolidWasteManagementAct
Hans India
24-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Govt to set up bio-CNG plants using vegetable waste
Bengaluru In a significant push toward sustainable waste management and clean energy, the Karnataka government is planning to set up bio-CNG plants using vegetable waste and organic matter, with support from central government carbon credit grants. The proposal was discussed in a high-level meeting held in Bengaluru on Monday between Dr J S Yadav, Managing Director of the Council of State Agricultural Marketing Department (COSAMB), and State Sugar and Agricultural Marketing Minister Shivananad Patil. Dr Yadav's visit aimed to explore the utilisation of carbon credit-based funding to establish bio-CNG production plants across major Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) in the state. Minister Patil highlighted that projects are already in planning stages for setting up bio-CNG plants in Dasanapura (Bengaluru), Mysuru, and Kolar. He informed that these locations generate high volumes of vegetable waste, making them ideal sites for initiating eco-friendly energy solutions. 50-tonne production benchmark for viability Dr Yadav noted that for these bio-CNG units to be financially viable, each facility must process at least 50 tonnes of organic waste per day. He stressed that only when profitability is assured, private players will be motivated to invest in such green energy infrastructure. 'Identifying APMCs with sufficient waste generation capacity and crafting tailored proposals for each will ensure that the bio-CNG plants are not only sustainable but also economically rewarding,' Dr Yadav said. Central law amendment to facilitate projects The Union Government is expected to amend the Solid Waste Management Act in October, allowing states to leverage central financial aid through carbon credits. This development could pave the way for bio-CNG units to be embedded within the market systems, particularly APMCs, which handle large volumes of perishable produce. Both Dr Yadav and Minister Patil agreed that Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Kolar—the top waste-generating urban centres—are the priority locations for pilot projects. Concerns over chemical use on fruits, vegetables Beyond bio-CNG, the meeting also addressed growing health concerns related to the use of artificial colours, harmful stickers, and excessive pesticides on fruits and vegetables. Dr Yadav warned that synthetic chemicals used for fruit packaging, especially in apples and watermelons, pose a serious health hazard. He pointed out the hazardous trend of sticking brand labels directly on fruits and the rampant use of artificial colour on vegetables like okra (bendekayi), carrots, and watermelon, stating these practices have long-term adverse effects on public health. 'We need to launch awareness campaigns among traders and consumers to discourage the use of artificial colour and ensure minimal pesticide use,' Dr. Yadav urged.
Business Recorder
16-06-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
Pakistan's plastic challenge
EDITORIAL: Plastic pollution has become one of the most pervasive and damaging environmental threats of our time, choking ecosystems, endangering wildlife and infiltrating every corner of the planet. Pakistan is no exception here, generating over two million tonnes of plastic waste annually, amounting to more than 8kg of waste per capita per year. Alarmingly, 86 percent of this waste remains unrecycled and unmanaged, clogging waterways, polluting urban spaces, and leaching toxins into food systems, soil and the sea. In fact, this crisis has become so severe that Pakistan now ranks among the top 10 plastic-polluting countries in the world. These distressing details were revealed by the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) on World Environment Day that was commemorated on June 5. In its statement, the WWF-P highlighted the serious environmental and health impacts of single-use plastics in particular, which offer short-term convenience but inflict long-term damage. Billions of these disposable items are discarded daily, with around 14 million tonnes ending up in the world's oceans each year, endangering marine life and fragile ecosystems. Even more troubling is the spread of microplastics, tiny particles formed as plastic breaks down. Traces of these have been found in seafood, drinking water and even human blood, raising major public health concerns. Research links plastic exposure to hormonal imbalances, reproductive issues and increased cancer risk. Adding to the crisis, plastic production and disposal also emit greenhouse gases, worsening climate change. Most dangerously, the all-pervasive use of plastic packaging generates constant waste at both household and commercial levels, making it one of the hardest pollution types to regulate and eliminate. Plastic packaging is made from stubbornly non-biodegradable materials, like polyethylene and polystyrene, synthetic polymers that resist natural decomposition and can persist in the environment for centuries, which means that almost every piece of plastic ever produced still exists today. Pakistan's efforts to tackle plastic pollution have largely been piecemeal and reactive, relying on city- or province-specific bans on plastic bags and sporadic public awareness campaigns. Legislations like the Environmental Protection Act and the Solid Waste Management Act include provisions that aim to improve waste management, while in June 2023, media reports referenced a proposed 10-year strategy aimed at cutting plastic use, boosting recycling and minimising waste. Most recently, in April, the government introduced the National Action Roadmap to Reduce Plastic Pollution, which lays out a comprehensive plan to curb mismanaged plastic waste, at least on paper. However, huge enforcement gaps and the lack of a unified, nationwide policy to ensure coordination and consistency across provinces have hindered efforts to combat plastic waste. The fact of the matter is that the plastic industry enjoys huge economic relevance in Pakistan. Given this economic significance, a comprehensive policy framework that gradually reduces the plastic industry's dominance by promoting the production and use of environmentally friendly alternatives is essential. Banning plastic usage alone will be inadequate; authorities must also create the conditions for eco-friendly alternatives, such as biodegradable cloth or jute bags to become both widely available and affordable. This requires robust collaboration between the public and private sectors, along with targeted financial and technical assistance to help local manufacturers transition towards the production of sustainable plastic alternatives. Without viable alternatives, the public cannot be expected to comply with bans, nor can plastic producers feasibly shift to greener options without risking economic loss. Addressing plastic pollution effectively, therefore, requires a balanced approach that aligns environmental goals with economic realities to create lasting change. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Flathead County seeks to expand landfill for future needs
Jun. 8—Flathead County is looking to expand its landfill operations in the future, which is expected to allow it to accept waste for another eight decades beyond its current capacity. The landfill is looking to add 121 acres south of facility located off of U.S. 93 north of Kalispell. Of that acreage 74 acres are planned for refuse disposal. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality is reviewing the county's application for a license to expand. The state agency is taking comments on a draft environmental assessment of the plan through June 15. Flathead County Public Works Director Dave Prunty said the current landfill disposal area is expected to serve the county for another 40 years, but the county is looking to obtain its license now to allow for expansion when the time comes. "Because the community is growing, we need to secure disposal space for as long as possible," Prunty said. "It's critical for the landfill to secure that disposal space now." The landfill was built in 1971. The expansion is designed to serve the county after the current portion of the active landfill reaches capacity. The same disposal area on the north end of the landfill has been used since it was opened and is expected to be full in roughly the next five years. Then disposal would move to a more southern area, which should last the county for another roughly two to three decades, according to Prunty, before it would move into the proposed expansion area. The expansion would increase the refuse disposal area to 225 acres. Operations now dispose of 460 tons of waste per day. The expansion would allow for the proper disposal of about 33.7 million tons of waste, according to the Department of Environmental Quality assessment. About 92,000 tons of waste was disposed of at the landfill in 2022 and last year the landfill saw 163,000 tons. Prunty said disposal rates ebb and flow with the economy, but about 2% growth every year is expected. "The amount we take in is compounded every year," he said. "This is about controlling our own destiny at the landfill. We want to make sure that we have the capacity so that we don't have to pay to take it somewhere else." The Department of Environmental Quality's assessment found that the expansion meets the requirements of the state Solid Waste Management Act and rules regulating solid waste disposal. And adherence to a facility plan approved by the state agency would mitigate the potential for harmful impacts to human health and the environment. Public comment closes June 15, and comments can be submitted electronically via email to deqswprogram@ or by mail at DEQ Solid Waste Program, PO Box 200901, Helena, MT, 59620. To view the draft assessment, visit Deputy Editor Heidi Desch may be reached at 758-4421 or hdesch@
New Indian Express
29-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Chennai to fine vacant landowners up to Rs 25,000 for poor upkeep; daily penalty follows
CHENNAI: Property owners who fail to comply with the new corporation guidelines for maintaining vacant lands will face penalties of up to Rs 25,000, with an additional fine of Rs 500 per day for repeated violations. A resolution was passed to this effect in the council on Wednesday. The move is aimed at preventing public health concerns arising from poorly maintained vacant lands that allow for breeding of mosquitoes and other pests, and garbage accumulation. Landowners are now required to regularly monitor their properties to ensure that garbage, construction debris, overgrown vegetation, and stagnant water are cleared promptly. Proper fencing, drainage systems, and vector control measures must be in place. Waste must be disposed of in line with SWM 2016 norms. The owners must share their address and contact to the revenue officials in zones so that they can be contacted in case of complaints of poor maintenance, the resolution stated. During inspection, the land owners must cooperate, it said. In cases of non-compliance, the corporation will issue a formal notice. If the issue is not resolved within seven days, the GCC will clean the site using its own resources or contractors. The cost of cleanup, Rs 5800 (up to five tonnes of waste ) and Rs 11,600 (up to 10 tonnes) will be recovered from the property owner. The new measures are based on the Solid Waste Management Act, 2016, Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies (TNULB) Act, 1998, and TNULB Rules, 2023 (sections 384, 385, and 392). As per the current rules, the city corporation collects a vacant land tax for vacant plots.
New Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
RWAs say MCD's user fee lacks legal clarity, transparency; AAP stages stir
NEW DELHI: RESIDENT Welfare Associations in the city have raised concerns over the lack of legal clarity regarding the imposition of user fee on households. In a letter to the MCD Commissioner, RWAs pointed out that the civic body has not specified under which head the collected user fees would be utilised. They also cited the Solid Waste Management Act, which they argue prohibits clubbing user fee with the property tax. 'We have formally notified the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) of significant legal and transparency concerns surrounding its newly implemented user fee for solid waste management. Our letter cites non-compliance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957,' said United Residents Joint Action (URJA) Force. URJA also argued that the 'user fee' lacks clear legal grounding. In the letter, the association demanded the MCD to specify the exact legal provisions within the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, that authorize this charge. The letter also pointed out operational shortcomings and questioned the preparedness for fee implementation, the lack of communication with waste generators, and the absence of a proper grievance redressal system. 'About 13 lakh out of 43 lakh households in Delhi pay property tax. Besides, some residents already pay private waste collectors. We question the fairness of charging only property taxpayers for a service used by all,' the letter read. Meanwhile, the AAP councillors held a sit-in outside Delhi Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh's office on protesting the omission of a proposal to roll back user charges from the House agenda. Following the Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls last month, when the BJP came to power and appointed its mayor, the party on April 25 promised to roll back the user charge. 'Since the beginning, the BJP has had no intention of working for the people of Delhi. All they do is make false promises and avoid real work. We had submitted a proposal to remove the user charges but the BJP is deliberately avoiding it,' said Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the MCD Ankush Narang.
