Market for generating value of waste is worth USD1.5 bn: Study

The market for generating value of municipal solid waste (MSW) is expected to be worth USD 1.5 billion (about Rs 10,000 crore) in the next 12-14 months, a study has found.
"Assuming the base capital expenditure of USD 8750/tonnes per day (TPD) for compositing plants and average capital expenditure of USD 1.4 million/TPD for setting up waste to energy plants, market for generating value of waste is expected to be worth USD 1.5 billion by 2017," the study by Assocham-cKinetics has said.
Quoting the data of the erstwhile Planning Commission, the study said urban population in the country is expected to increase to 404 million in 2017 (from the level of 365 million in 2012).

"It is imperative to move towards constructive waste management which involves public-private partnerships focused on eventual waste minimisation, driven at the community level, using low energy and low technology resources," Assocham President Sunil Kanoria said.
The study noted a good part of the story as also the bad one. The good part is that almost 80 per cent of the total urban municipal waste generated is collected. The bad part is that only about 23 per cent of the total MSW is treated.
During the last decade, India's urban population grew by 31.8 per cent to 377 million, which is larger than the entire population of the US, thereby underlining a tremendous need for waste management services, the study said.