New Delhi, July 30: Madanapalle Municipality in Andhra Pradesh is strengthening its solid waste management system through scientific processing, waste segregation and resource recovery as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 with the goal of becoming a Zero Waste City.
The municipality generates around 62 tonnes of municipal solid waste daily, including 36 tonnes of wet waste, 25.5 tonnes of dry waste and 0.5 tonnes of domestic hazardous waste. Waste is segregated at source into biodegradable, non biodegradable and upcycling categories to improve recycling and ensure environmentally sustainable disposal.
To manage biodegradable waste, bulk waste generators are encouraged to install on-site composting systems, while households are adopting home composting and terrace gardening. Around 15.5 tonnes of wet waste is processed daily through windrow composting, producing approximately 4.65 tonnes of compost used for parks and plantations. Another 3 tonnes of wet waste is converted into about 1.2 tonnes of vermicompost each day.
Dry waste is segregated into recyclable and non recyclable materials during door to door collection. Recyclables are sent to Material Recovery Facilities for processing and recycling, while non recyclable waste is supplied to cement factories for co-processing, reducing landfill disposal and generating additional municipal revenue.
The municipality also operates a Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (RRR) Centre, where e-waste, old clothes, books, toys and footwear are collected, repaired and redistributed to slum communities, homeless people and old age homes. Waste tyres are repurposed into artistic installations in parks and public spaces to promote environmental awareness.
Madanapalle has successfully remediated nearly 36,512 metric tonnes of legacy waste through biomining and bioremediation, reclaiming around 9.4 acres of land. About 5 acres of the reclaimed site have been converted into green spaces through plantation, while recovered refuse derived fuel (RDF) is supplied to cement plants and inert materials are reused for filling low lying areas.
The municipality has also developed awareness initiatives including wall paintings, murals and a Waste to Art Park at NVR Layout, to encourage cleanliness waste segregation and sustainable practices among residents.
Officials said Madanapalle’s integrated approach, combining composting, recycling, upcycling, legacy waste remediation and active citizen participation, is helping the municipality move steadily towards becoming a Zero Dump and Zero Littering City under SBM-U 2.0.