CHENNAI: Successfully implementing the Zero Waste Chennai project, Zone 1 of the Greater Chennai Corporation has steadfastly been involved in segregating and processing biodegradable waste in their divisional units. The manure is later sold in the markets for `20 a kg.
To minimise garbage sent to landfills and ensure each family processes the garbage in their own backyards, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Greater Chennai Corporation and the Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group in May.
Of the 12 metric tonnes of biodegradable waste segregated every day in Zone 1, four tonnes are composed in the divisional units while six tonnes of mixed waste of rice and vegetables are dry composed in a yard in Saathankadu area. Officials say three multi-compost yards are to be set up in the zone soon.
‘‘The waste is mixed with balls of bio-enhancers made of curd, jaggery, grains, and microbial solutions and are put in seven concrete radials each with a capacity of 160 kg,’’ the official said, adding that it takes seven weeks to process.
To ease the process of manual labour, a gushing machine has been installed in the ward for bio-degradable and non-biodegradable waste. ‘‘About one tonne of plastic is crushed every day and is normally used for laying roads,’’ the official said.
Sixty-year-old Sudha R, a resident of Kathivakkam in Ennore, started composting in her own terrace after learning how to do it in an awareness campaign. ‘‘The awareness campaigns have made people to segregate waste before throwing it. For those who do not have space at their houses, the Corporation has set up concrete radials in several places for the public to use,’’ she said.
Ennore, collects 130 metric tonnes of waste every day. About 10 metric tonnes of bio waste is segregated from it while 30 metric tonnes of non-biodegradable waste is segregated as of now.
Training
The Corporation conducts awareness programmes on composting bio-waste in the terrace of houses. It draws the attention of housewives.