CHENNAI: While big city corporations are still struggling to segregate domestic wastes at source, a town panchayat on the city’s outskirts has not only managed to segregate waste, but make useful products out of it. Naravarikuppam town panchayat at Red Hills processes dry lemon, mausambi, and orange peel wastes into toilet cleaning liquids and provide them to public toilets in the panchayat.
Speaking to Express, G Deepa, in-charge of town panchayat’s composting yard, said about five kilograms of fruit waste is collected everyday from temples, fruit shops and markets in the panchayat.
“The fruit peels are left for drying for at least 10 days and then they are mixed with two kg of jaggery. About five kgs of fruit waste and jaggery is then mixed with 20 litres of water. This is kept closed in a drum for 15 days. The citrus becomes stronger each day and when the liquid turns dark yellow, we transfer it into one litre bottles,’’ she says. Everyday, at least five kg of fruit waste is collected and processed. The composting yard has five such drums. These liquids are given also to all government offices for toilet purposes.
Alongside this, the panchayat is also experimenting in making organic cloth washing liquid made of soap berries from soap nut tree grown in the yard. “We mix soap nuts with vinegar and it is kept in a closed container for 60-90 days. Currently, we have made two litres of that,’’ said Deepa.
Toilet cleaners and dishwashing liquids are given to sanitary workers free of cost. Deepa says it takes about an hour to spread all the fruit peels and keep them for drying.
For the last three months, the panchayat has also been processing citrus peels into dishwashing powder. “About five kg of fruit waste is processed into dish-washing powder and it is provided to all temples in the panchayat,’’ she says.
Officials believe making organic detergent can be emulated by Greater Chennai Corporation too. G Sathish, Executive Officer, Naravarikuppam Town Panchayat, said, “Apart from bio-composting and vermi-composting, making organic floor and toilet cleaners have brought bio-waste going out of the composting yard to nil,’’ said Sathish.
“We will spread awareness about the way of doing it to residents as well,’’ the official said.