CSE Publication

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) secretariat for the Barcelona Convention, marine litter is defined as “any persistent, manufactured, or processed solid material discarded, disposed of or abandoned, regardless of its size that enters the marine and coastal environment”1 . This includes items deliberately discarded or unintentionally lost at sea or along the coastline. Common examples prevalent in the Indian marine ecosystem are plastics, wood, metals,...

Adopted in March 2022, UNEA Resolution 5/14 mandated the formation of an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) tasked with crafting a global set of rules to end plastic pollution across its life cycle. The Centre for Science and Environment has been following the negotiations of the INC closely and has mapped out country positions based on submissions made by the member states. Judging from the progress made thus far,...

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) conducted a study to evaluate the quality of compost produced across 23 different sites in the states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha. The composting sites employed various technologies such as tub composting, organic waste converter, pit composting, windrow composting, and AAGA aerobic tub composting. This study aims to evaluate the composting processes and identify potential areas for improvement. Key highlights...

Domestic hazardous waste is typically generated in lesser quantities than other waste fractions but the potential risks to the environment and human health are disproportionate to its quantum. It becomes especially lethal when given a chance to react with other material in common landfills. This is why this report makes a case for addressing this waste stream separately and demands an efficient system of segregation and collection as...

According to Census 2011, Agra has a population of about 1.58 million residing within its municipal limits.1 However, as per Agra Nagar Nigam’s (ANN) official record, the current population of Agra is approximately 1.9 million, with a floating population of about 0.3 million. The city is divided into four administrative zones—Hariparvat, Chhatta, Lohamandi and Tajganj (see Map 1: Map of Agra under Agra Nagar Nigam). Each zone is...

Agra, located on the western bank of river Yamuna, 206 km south of the national capital New Delhi, is a culturally rich and historically important city. It is home to as many as 48 protected monuments (as per Archaeological Survey of India’s classification). The very thought of Agra reminds us of the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world and a universal symbol of love....

Legacy waste is a burden of the past we cannot ignore. In recent years, efforts to bioremediate and biomine legacy waste dumpsites has gained traction. This toolkit is designed to be a hands-on guide for practitioners, officials of urban local bodies and other stakeholders involved in legacy waste management. Download File

With a staggering population of 1.3 billion and waste generation amounting to 62 million tonne every year, there is no denying that India is drowning in waste. As the economy continues to grow at a fast pace, the increase in waste generation is outpacing the increase in population growth by a factor of five. Currently, the focus of solid waste management in India is merely on collection and...

Open dumpsites and landfills are significant contributors of anthropogenic methane gas. Since a considerable portion of waste in India is biodegradable, municipal solid waste when disposed of in dumpsites or landfills, emits methane for years, even if the landfill is scientifically closed. The global warming potential of methane is 28 times higher than that of carbon dioxide. While emissions from the oil and gas sector have received adequate...

The Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016 classifies used sanitary napkins, diapers, condoms, tampons, and incontinence sheets as sanitary waste. According to the Menstrual Hygiene Alliance of India (MHAI), 336 million girls and women of reproductive again India generate about 1 billion sanitary napkins per month, or 12.3 billion sanitary napkins annually. Sanitary waste is voluminous and infectious, and plastic is used as a primary material in the...