India is taking a step forward to curb pollution and promote sustainability with an approach towards a clean and green environment. Plastic ban, recycling, spreading awareness among the masses, and, renewable energy generations are some things that have put India at the forefront of the world map. Sweden has proved itself a global champion in recycling. Currently, it recycles 99 percent of total household waste and aims to become a zero-waste society. It is difficult for the populous country such as India but not unachievable if every person takes the responsibility to make their nation eco-friendly.
Smart Waste Collection Management
The waste management industry has started developing and implementing solutions. Providing waste bins with sensors, database management, logistics platforms the industry is shifting to cleaner modern life. Waste management systems keep homes and communities free from unwanted clutter.
The waste management industry has started developing and implementing IoT solutions to these problems, a technological phenomenon slowly and steadily doing wonders for India’s waste woes.
Cities have progressively begun to get on board with the incorporation of smart waste management solutions in the public sphere. A technology that makes use of sensors to detect how full is the trash bin is prevalent in many cities. The measured data is then transferred to the cloud management system to further process and analyse. The interpretation of data helps adequate planning of trash collection and precisely tracks the routes.
Turning Waste Into Energy
The growing amount of waste gradually choking the country has become one of the biggest concerns. But the beginning of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan saw waste being thoughtfully taken and various government departments spreading awareness about the segregation. Setting up more waste management plants is also an agenda of the mission. One of the biggest innovations coming to the waste management industry is the ability to convert waste into energy. New machinery, known as ‘digesters’ can process the waste and the biogas that is produced is turned into energy which can be used on the site. This technology can also be used in food waste, animal waste, agricultural leftovers and, more. Creating energy from food waste that contains a large amount of methane gas and thermal conversion can convert waste into specialty products such as chemicals, fertilizers, oils are some new technologies.
“Trash” of the food industry to a “treasure”
Tonnes of food goes off to waste globally. A unique and financially sustainable solution is value-added processing that involves the conversion of food waste into a product that can be reused. It might sound wearied to you but according to the National Resources Defense Council survey, 68% of what’s being trashed in homes is still edible and easy to digest. The good news is that industries are finding unique and innovative uses of food waste such as bio-plastics from food waste. The industries aim to drive food waste into new, healthy and, value-added products. Companies are making protein bars from spent grains from beer brewing, food scraps to protein chips, pulp to grain-free granola, etc. This modernization will feed people, generate opportunities for employment and, reduce the environmental impact of wasted resources.
Innovation and Technology
Technology is changing waste management methodologies. Owing to ongoing labor shortages, workflow improvements have the potential to improve profitability with technologies like driverless trucks. It is set to transform the industry. Smart technologies may soon aid the industries by reducing needless pickups, keep up with stringent contamination requirements, cost-cutting and easy recycling. Technology is taking over everything but if you cannot adjust to the innovations, then this world is not fit for you. So let’s lay the groundwork and embrace the initiative that may probably lead to a healthy and clean future.
-Rajkunwar Bhosale
