Green Schools Programme Tughlakabad, Delhi

Rubbish, garbage, litter, junk, scrap, trash. Waste is generated in various forms. Managing it is one of the essential services that municipal authorities are duty-bound to provide. Putting waste into a vehicle and unloading it at a dump seems to be a simple enough affair. Then why do so many cities and towns across the globe suffer from rotting refuse piled up in streets and drains–breeding flies and rats.

There are only two ways we can deal with this growing mountain of filth: by reducing our waste by using less, and by separating the waste so that we can recycle, reuse and compost as much as possible. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 70 per cent of the total solid waste in the country is collected and only 12 per cent is treated. Segregation at source, collection, storage, treatment and scientific disposal of waste are insufficient.