A systems study and intervention design to solve for Mumbai's
© Anagha Shukla
9 million tonnes of trash per day.
Domain | Brief
System Design | Social Impact | Waste Management
To conduct an extensive study of a
system of your choice, propose areas of opportunity, co-design behavioural and non-behavioural and propose possible design routes as part of an academic unit. I chose to study the inner workings of an urban domestic solid waste disposal system considering Mumbai as the system boundary.
Timeline | Role
7 weeks
This project was done by a team of 2. My contribution consisted of all of the primary research that involved on-ground interviews with stakeholders, photo and video documentation, and identifying areas of opportunity. I later individually developed conceptual solutions for the same.
India and China are the world’s biggest economies and they
produce 27% of the world’s trash. Particularly, India produces
15,000 Metric Tonnes per day.
The fire that was visible from space...
My residence was in the trajectory of the Deonar Dumping ground fire that happened in in Mumbai during the summer of 2017. The pollution levels rose exponentially within a 6 km radius of the fire. The heavy toxic fumes directly affected us locals. Throat infections, sore eyesights and headaches were common reportings during this week. This was a wake-up call into the dire problem of waste management Mumbai faces.
Delhi and Mumbai produce the most amount of trash in India. Being metropolitan cities with extreme population density, the sheer amount of trash becomes a major issue in the entire management system. Mumbai produces 11 metric Tonnes of trash per day.
Mumbai has 4 dumping grounds of varying capacities.
Gorai, 19 Hecatres
Mulund, 25 Hectares
Kanjurmarg, 114 Hecatres
Deonar, 110 Hecatres
Ecosystem Mapping
We identified different contributors in the domestic waste production and disposal system we mapped out their lifestyles schedules and motivations. We studied existing by-laws of the MCGM Solid waste management. We then surveyed house-holds along with cleaners and garbagemen in our own society. Thereafter, we then shifted our focus to third parties such as Kabadiwalas, Waste-pickers and NGOs.
Thus, the pro could be categorised as-
1. Manufacturers (Public and Private Corporations)
2. Consumers
3. Waste Management Service Providers (consisting of the MCGM, kabadiwalas, NGOs etc.)
Deep Structure
We mapped out the different stake-holders according to 3 rings, based on the degree of their involvement in the process of waste disposal.
The system consists of these 6 main sub-systems. All of these spheres are inter-connected and a change in one sphere leads to a chain reaction of changes in other spheres, with varying scales and sizes.
The innermost ring being the Primary ring, has the three most important parties in the system; The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), Consumers and Private Society Committees. The Secondary ring consists of public and private corporations, your local Kabadiwalas and so on. The outermost Tertiary ring consists of parties such as NGOs, recyclers, educational institutions etc. who don't affect the system directly but are still a part of it.
What does Everyday House-hold Waste look like?
Compostable Waste
All types of wet waste is compostible.
Kitchen waste such as banana peels, egg shells, fruit waste and egg shells are all biodegradable.
Recyclable Waste
Most kinds of plastic, paper, glass and metal is recyclable.
Non-Recyclable Waste
Hygiene products like diapers, sanitary pads and chemical waste like batteries cannot be recycled.
Stakeholders
1. Surveying Households in Mumbai
We surveyed 40 house-holds from different wards of Mumbai, all the way from Worli to Chembur to Borivali.
Objective
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To understand how much average waste is generated per person.
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To understand percentage of wet and dry waste.
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To gauge involvement of local Raddiwalas and Kabadiwalas in the system.
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To study how accurately and in depth people know about waste segregation.
Preferred methods for learning about Waste Segregation
Workshops by NGOs and other bodies
Self-study material
Seminars organized by societies
Social Media
57%
40%
54%
34%
2. Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM)
Source: mcgm.gov.in
Mumbai's Current Waste Scenario
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Total Municipal Solid Waste(MSW) Transported - 6900M.T./Day
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Total Shipping and Delivery(S&D) Waste Transported - 800 M.T./Day
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Bio Medical Waste Transported - 15 M.T./Day
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Garden & Horticultural Waste Transported - 16 M.T./Day
Out of the total waste generated in Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai 100% of the waste is Collected & transported to the Processing Site / Dumping Ground on daily basis.
The main sub-systems within the MCGM are infrastructural, judicial and the of SWM (Solid Waste Management)
#1 Collection
The MCGM staff and NGO motor loaders along with sweepers in some cases, provide door-to-door collection every day. The trash is collected in green (wet waste) and blue (dry waste) bins mandated by the MCGM.
#2 Transportation
The bins are specially designed to fit and unload into big and small compactor vehicles that collect waste from allocated areas.
#3 Segregation
Most wet waste gets composted, while the dry waste is dropped off at Dry Waste Collection and Sorting Centers. Waste-pickers are involved in the sorting and they get to keep the revenue generated from this.
#4 Disposal
From here, secondary transportation like mini-compactors and skip vehicles take over and collect and dispose the remaining waste into landills.
After a thorough study each sub-system, we made a detailed information map for the MCGM. Through this we identified key challenges faced by and arising within the MCGM.
Key Challenges
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No proper segregation after collection
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No proper treatment of waste
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Inadequate technology
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Lack of inclination and lazy attitude
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Corruption and Malpractices
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Lack of trained staff
3. Private Society Committee and Staff
We prepared a questionnaire for our local Kachre-wale (waste-collectors) in the society who's main job is to collect trash from all the house-holds, disposing it and other jobs like sweeping, cleaning the pool etc. Spending an entire morning with them, shadowing them around, we learnt about things like their collection process, the amount of waste generated, their personal lives, professional and personal struggles etc.
#1 Apartment Society
Two separate bins for wet and dry waste
Full body weight stomping to fit in all the dry waste
Waste pile in the parking lot for the cleaners to sort through and take as Kabad
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The society consists of 4 buildings, approximately 20 floors each, with each floor having an average of 4 flats. The total waste generated from each building is about 150 kilos on a daily basis. 80 kilos from this is wet waste and 50-60 kilos is the dry waste. The whole process takes about 2 hours; 8am to 10am. No wet waste composting takes place here, due to inefficient space, gear and residential complaints about the smell.
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They have 2 separate bins for wet and dry waste collection, and can also separate dry waste for personal gain which they sell to the Kabadiwala later on in the day. This acts as an additional income to their already low salary of Rs. 9000 per month.
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The society provides them with a proper uniform and protective gear, however they are employed on a contractual basis and can be fired anytime. This also means that there are no health benefits involved.
#2 Bungalow Society
Single bin for wet and dry waste
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The society consists of 152 bungalows. The total waste generated is about 40-50 kilos on a daily basis. There is a common bin for wet and dry waste, however the wet waste is separated out for vermi-composting after collection. The residents also do not give segregated waste.
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They acquired the job through Stree Mukti Sanghatana, which is an NGO working towards women empowerment, especially in the field of waste-picking. Their salary is about Rs.7000 per month with a 6 hour working day. Their contract includes no health benefits.
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The society does not provide them with uniforms or protective gear and they face health issues due to this. They often get disrespected by the residents themselves.
Key Challenges
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No proper segregation after collection
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No proper treatment of waste
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Inadequate technology
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Lack of inclination and lazy attitude
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Corruption and Malpractices
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Lack of trained staff
4. Kabadiwalas
Kabadiwalas (junk or scrap dealers) are a unique part of the Indian Solid Waste Management System. Due to the inherent culture of Reuse and Recycle in our society, their community is critical in the reduction of waste generation. Their job mainly includes collecting Raddi(old newspapers) and Kabadi(plastic waste, glass waste etc.). He then sells this recyclers and mechanics through whom the materials enter the manufacturing system again.
Two separate bins for wet and dry waste
"Customers are my food and water, I would never speak ill of them."
Kabadi collected from surrounding households
Digital weighing scale
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In this case study, this Kabadiwala covers nearby areas like Govandi and Chembur. Most of his business depends on word of mouth. Either people call him over to collect the Raddi and Kabadi, or he does his daily rounds in theese areas regulary.
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His main mode of transport includes a scooter and a cycle. The equipment he usually carries is a digital/traditional weighing scale and collection bags.
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His daily collectibles consist of about 80% paper, 10-15% plastic, 5% glass and about less than 5% electronics.
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Most of his income comes from selling of electronic waste and Raddi(old newspapers) and earns around Rs. 5000-8000 per month. He also earns some of his income through reselling items like bags, helmets, packaging materials etc. to customers.
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His store also doubles as his house. His wife helps him in the business but he is the only earning member in a family of four.
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While he has to face issues like back-aches his wife has to face diabetes. They have to make do with no health insurance.
Key Challenges
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High dependance on market values of materials
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Susceptible to recycler's will and time
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Badly affected due to Covid-19
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Faulty equipment which leads to distrust with customers
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Lack of respect
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No legal or health benefits
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Exploitation
5. NGOs and Waste Picker Women
To learn about waste-pickers and their role in the system, we approached Stree Mukti Sanghatana (Women's Liberation Organization) pioneered by Sreemati Jyoti Mhapsekar. Their Parisar Vikas (Environmental Development) branch specifically works with waste-picker women. Their work focuses on creating awareness, education, healthcare and gender equality. It is an autonomous organization, not affiliated with any political organization.
They have branches all around Mumbai; Dadar, Parel, Chembur, Kanjurmarg etc. We approached, visited and interacted with waste-pickers in their Deonar branch, which deals with communities staying near the Deonar Dumping Ground.
Interviewing waste-pickers
Queue outside the NGO office where waste-pickers can go and share their complaints in exchange of assistance
Nikita Patil - NGO volunteer
Bhavya - 8 year old daughter of a waste-picker
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Belonging to one of the poorest social classes in the country, most waste pickers are below the poverty line.
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Most of them go to the Deonar Dumping Ground to collect waste and sell it for their everyday earnings. They have to face the mafia at the entrance that asks them for Rs. 50-100 entry fee, that eats away from these earnings daily.
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They also fall into the "at risk" population, which makes them privy to alcoholism, use of low level narcotics, child marriage and sexual abuse.
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They are encouraged to form Self Help Groups (SHGs) that gives provides them with recognition and credibility from the MCGM.
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The NGO provides them with legal benefits such as PAN cards, financial benefits through MCGM and medical benefits like free health check-ups.
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They also provide them with incentives such as education of their children, scope of starting a new business through SHGs.
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They also train the waste-pickers which includes educating them about the different kinds of waste and it's segregation, awareness about different illnesses they may be susceptible to and the importance and usage of protective gear.
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Apart from this, they also do collection drives in societies, waste segregation educative seminars, presentations in schools and street plays.
Key Challenges
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Lack of respect
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Lack of knowledge
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Susceptibility to disease and illness
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Susceptibility to drugs and alcoholism
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Mafia interference
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Exploitation
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Abuse
Journey of Trash
A final mapping of all touch-points of domestic solid waste could take was carried out. The landfill was a dangerous dead-end since other avenues such as composting removing only a small percentage of this waste. Incinerating causes major pollution and sanitary landfills are only effective until a certain
period of time.
Hence,
the Kabadiwala becomes a crucial entity in the system, since he has the unique ability to direct waste away from in Landfills.
Other Causal Loops
#1 The Cycle of Waste-Picking
The objective here was to showcase how waste-picking is an inescapable cycle. Through our surveys we identified that more often than not, waster-picker's children end up becoming waste-pickers themselves.
Due to corruption and inefficiencies within the MCGM, many a times work orders of waste-pickers are delayed, which in turn affects their legitimacy.
NGOs provide them training and work gear, however, due to insufficient resources the gear isn't well-designed or efficient and they end up not using it.
These factors along with mafia interactions on a daily basis contributes to the cycle of poverty, that includes discrimination based on various grounds, which leads to the children inevitably becoming adult waste-pickers.
#2 Issues with MCGM
The objective here was to showcase how waste-picking is an inescapable cycle. Through our surveys we identified that more often than not, waster-picker's children end up becoming waste-pickers themselves.
Due to corruption and inefficiencies within the MCGM, many a times work orders of waste-pickers are delayed, which in turn affects their legitimacy.
NGOs provide them training and work gear, however, due to insufficient resources the gear isn't well-designed or efficient and they end up not using it.
These factors along with mafia interactions on a daily basis contributes to the cycle of poverty, that includes discrimination based on various grounds, which leads to the children inevitably becoming adult waste-pickers.
Areas of Opportunity
Through our research, we realised that the system works on paper
but the right implementation and inclination are missing.
Implementational Interventions
(Non-behavioural interventions)
#1 Uplifting Waste-pickers and Private Society Cleaners
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Policy Development
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Maneuvering more funds towards the department
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Better equipment provision
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Re-designing uniforms for waste-picker staff
#2 Increasing efficiency of waste equipment and protective gear
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Re-designing disposal system for households
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Re-designing disposal equipment for waste- pickers
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Increasing efficiency of protective gear
#3 Educating Housing Societies
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Seminars
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Books and magazines
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Social media
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Workshops
#4 Incentivizing housing societies to donate to NGOs
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Collection drives
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Social Media campaigns
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Collaborative events between NGOs and Private Society Committees
Inclinational Interventions
(Behavioural interventions)
#1 Changing the Perception
of a Kabadiwala
Making the Kabadiwala aspirational rather than it being a status hindering interaction.
Possible Design Routes -
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A documentary on the life of a Kabadiwala
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A social media page for your local Kabadiwala with information about collection drives, material information etc.
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Annual society seminars on segregation, with the help of local Kabadiwalas.
#2 A Compact Storage Solution for Kabadi at Home
Changing the perception of segregation from something tedious and time consuming to something that is easy and quick.
Possible Design Route -
Average square foot area of a house in Mumbai is 450 sq. feet. People just throw away waste instead of selling to a Kabadiwala since there is no space to store it. Thus, we design a compact solution for storing all recyclable waste at home.
#3 Inculcating Waste Segregation Habits in Kids
Changing the perception of segregation from something tedious and time consuming to something that is easy and quick.
Possible Design Route -
Average square foot area of a house in Mumbai is 450 sq. feet. Hence people simply throw away waste instead of selling to a Kabadiwala since there is no space to store it. Thus, we can design a compact solution for storing all recyclable waste at home.
#4 Introducing a Local Campaign under Swaccha Bharat Abhiyaan
Objective -
To prevent waste from piling up in landfills by spreading awareness and instilling the habit of
segregation, recycling, reducing and kabadi culture.
Ideal Interventions
The ideal intervention would be an annually recurring campaign that encompasses the implementational and inclinational interventions. This will not only ensure impactful activity and prolonged effects but also a change in perspectives over time due to its recurring nature.
Objective
Broadly, the campaign has to redirect waste away from landfills by spreading awareness and instilling the habit of segregation, recycling, reducing and Kabadi culture.
Messaging
Visual promotions of the campaign have to clearly communicate the answers the following questions -
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Why is the Kabadiwala so crucial in the system?
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What house-hold waste can you sell to a Kabadiwala?
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How can one contact their local Kabadiwala?
Nature
A local governmental sub-campaign under Swaccha Bharat Abhiyaan, the campaign will be implemented by the Central Government in each city. For the scope of this project, the system boundary is Mumbai.
Demographic
The campaign will focus on the upper and upper midlle class socio-economic groups, who have been typically most estranged from the Kabadi culture of India. Due to this, primary advertising will be in English, along with supporting text in Hindi and Marathi.
Design Direction and Schematics
19383A
Intracity AC Bus Poster
AC buses like Cityflo or Mylo have a wider reach in terms of varying demographics, hence short and impactful messaging in vernacular languages would work best here.
Metro Station Poster
Even though most people are on a hurry at any metro station in Mumbai, you inevitably have to wait a couple of minutes for the next train to arrive. Thus, along with impactful messaging, we can afford to have slightly more text here, elaborating why the Kabadiwala is so important in our waste management system.
Uber/OLA Tablet GIF
Due to the long nature of Uber/OLA rides, people can actually sit, observe and reflect more about their role in the solid waste management system. Thus, this becomes a great source of not only creating impact but also providing the right information on everything that can be Kabad from your daily house-hold waste. The ease of scanning a QR code, incentivizes them to learn more about the same.
