Construction and demolition waste

 With the rapid pace of urbanization and with growing the need for modern infrastructure, efforts are being taken to upgrade the country's creaking infrastructure with the backing of policy initiatives and housing schemes like relaxing the requisite floor space index and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna for housing and communication infrastructure like bridges,roads,highways. To have a hollistic approach towards this goal, attention should be given to the inevitable byproduct of the massive construction initiatives, i.e of the creation of construction and debris waste and their disposal.

Despite the Solid Waste Management rules,2016 which recognized to manage C&D waste from other municipal solid waste there is little adherence to it as still C&D wastes are dumped illegally on sides of highways, below flyovers and beside lake and river and open storm water drains. Some of its consequences can be seen in the form of :

• Air pollution in Delhi having high amount of PM2.5 which is result of debris strewn arounfd the city.
• Waterlooging during rains, when runoff water is trapped in debris.
• Other consequences include the ineffictiveness of composting or bioremediation due to presence of C&D waste.

WAY FORWARD

• Govt should provide incentives to private sector to divert the waste to recycling plants and not to dumping sites by imposing extra charges.
• The rules specify that government construction projects should use 10-20% of CAD recycled products.The government has to set an example in its own construction activity by complying with the rules.
• Lesson can be learnt from Germany which disposed the post war bomb rubble by creating a mini hillock outside town which is now a recreational hand gliding spot.

Effective management of C&D waste will help in curbing excessive use of natural resources and sustainable development.

By: SONAM SHEORAN