Factsheet 15 on WastetoEnergy Indian garbage Should energy be the driving concern?

Title:Factsheet 15 on WastetoEnergy Indian garbage Should energy be the driving concern?
Publication Type: Factsheets
Year of Publication: 2002

Abstract:Urban Indians produce an estimated 100,000 tonnes of waste per day. This is a growing urban problem, and the industry is eyeing it as a potential money-spinner. It must be realised that waste is wasted natural resources; it is unsustainable to generate more and more waste. The factsheet talks about why, instead of treating waste merely as an economic good, options must be examined for waste minimisation, making waste less toxic and reducing its environmental impact. The factsheet also details the burning waste problems and various waste technologies such as incineration and gasification that pose a mounting danger to the environment and health. A brief history of some of the experimented cases implies that treating energy as the sole focus for waste treatment is not only unsustainable from the point of energy economics, but also distorts waste management, since it does not automatically lead to waste minimisation and sustainable waste behaviour.