28 August 2020.
Introduction:
According to a report released by Delhi –based non-profit organisation, Centre For Science and Environment ( CSE) , India uses only 1% of its construction and demolition waste.
Highlights of the report:
- According to the Building Material Promotion Council, India generates 150million of C&D waste every year. However, the official recycling capacity is only 6,500 tonnes per day- just 1%.
- Unofficial estimates of the total waste generated in the country put the figure at three-five times more than the official estimate.
- As many as 53 cities were expected to set up recycling facilities to recover material from C&D waste by 2017 — but only 13 cities have done that by 2020.
- On the other hand demand for primary building material, including minerals, stone, sand, iron ore, aluminum and timber, is growing at fast rate.
Problems created:
- Heaps of concrete, bricks and metal waste from construction choke waterbodies, green areas and public spaces in Indian cities.
- Toxic dust particles from the debris pollute the air where as cities have to meet a target to reduce their particulate pollution by 20-30 %by 2024, under the ongoing National Clean Air Programme.
Incentives to encourage recycling:
- There are no known legal hurdles to using recycled C&D material in construction.
- The Bureau of Indian Standards has allowed the use of concrete made from recycled material and processed C&D waste.
- The Construction and Demolition Waste Rules and Regulations, 2016 have mandated reuse of recycled material.
- Swachh Bharat Mission has recognised the need for C&D waste management.
- Ranking points for C&D waste management for Swachh Survekshan 2021 have been doubled to 100 points, divided equally between management infrastructure and waste processing efficiency.
Recommendations of the report:
- Cities should have a C&D waste collection system in place; notified charges for C&D services and segregation of waste in five streams.
- Under waste processing efficiency criteria, ranking points will be awarded based on the percentage of collected waste that is processed and reused.
- This recognition by the Swachh Bharat Mission and the C&D Waste Rules offers a good opportunity.
- A substantial proportion of construction waste can be recycled and reused and brought back to construction to substitute naturally sourced material.
- This can help reduce energy intensity and environmental footprints of buildings and infrastructure