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NO TIME TO WASTE!

Alarm bells ring as Delhi is caught in a quagmire of huge garbage that is strewn across the dumping grounds and landfills daily…

Don’t litter, it doesn’t glitter! Taking a cue from it, we, at Karma Lakelands (KL), have chosen the path of not throwing anything! Instead, we segregate waste generated at the source, so that these are turned into resource materials and put to good use. No, don’t think we are competing with local kabadiwalas (scrap dealers)! Our conflict is with the city's municipal corporation’s garbage handling system, which directs huge quantities of recyclable goods into landfills. And we are staunchly against it.

Many boxes kept next to each other - Karma Lakelands.
A close up shot of a collection bin - Karma Lakelands.

DELHI’S STINKING MOUNTAINS

The waste generated from across the city is dumped at three landfill sites – Bhalswa, Okhla, and Ghazipur. With tonnes of garbage arriving daily, the situation at Bhalswa and Okhla is alarming, while Ghazipur is on track to set a record of the worst kind. According to recent reports, this landfill site might become taller than the Taj Mahal by 2020.

  • The pile of garbage at east Delhi’s Ghazipur site is 65 metres high.
  • The height of the Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, is 73 metres.
  • The tallest brick monument in the world, Qutub Minar in Delhi, is 72.5 metres.

HILL JAOGE!

Last year, the radio channel Red FM launched Mission Hill Jaoge at Mount Ghazipur to prompt Delhi authorities into action. Mountaineer Akash Jindal and FM RJ Raunac (aka Baua) climbed the hill to conquer it and capture the essence of Hill Jaoge. On reaching the peak, they raised a flag bearing the words ‘Who is responsible?’ to challenge and provoke both citizens and authorities. The exercise should have begun with segregating dry and wet waste at home, which would have solved at least half the problem. Instead, the rubbish has only grown higher!

EARTH SENSE INITIATIVE

It might seem like a drop in the ocean, but as alarming conditions prevail at all three landfill sites, KL continues to work for the environment and has further expanded its initiative to our residence at Green Avenue, Vasant Kunj. By raising awareness among our neighbours and the Green Avenue Residents Association, a community of about 100 farmhouses, we are contributing in our own way to reducing the load on landfills. With each passing week, the quantity of recyclable goods being collected has been steadily increasing. An e-rickshaw is arranged to visit each farmhouse every Monday (11 am–1 pm) to collect dry waste. Whether out of solidarity or to avoid embarrassment (!), residents are segregating their household waste and supporting the cause.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

The practice, followed at both KL and Green Avenue, also involves staff bringing in a substantial amount of dry waste from their homes to add to the collection pile. Of course, it can be embarrassing if the vehicle is stopped for a security check and rubbish is found in the boot! But so far, no one has complained. Our aim is that—from an eye-drop carton to a discarded jumbo-sized TV—nothing should go into the landfills via the municipal waste management system.

WHAT IS DRY WASTE?

  • Cardboard boxes (any size)
  • Dry food packaging containers
  • Glass bottles
  • Metal spray cans
  • Electronic items
  • Battery cells (dry)
  • Paper
  • Plastic
  • Rubber
  • Aluminium foil
  • And other similar items…

HOW WASTE IS TREATED?

We have a tie-up with recyclers who collect paper, cardboard, and plastic waste. They turn this waste into stationery products, including folders, books, notepads, and pens. These products are then offered to our clients free of charge. For every 100 kg of waste paper recycled, as part of the ‘green initiative’ drive, the recycler plants a tree on behalf of the client.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • One tree can produce up to 500 writing pads of 20 pages each.
  • Recycling one PET plastic bottle can conserve enough energy to power a 60-watt bulb for 6 hours.
  • Recycling 100 kg of PET plastic bottles can save approximately 750 litres of petrol.

RECYCLING ELECTRONIC ITEMS

Electronic devices comprise varying proportions of glass, metal, and plastic. Hence, efficient segregation forms the foundation of e-waste recycling, and these items are processed in an environmentally friendly manner.

WHAT IS NON-RECYCLABLE?

  • Old files (index and cobra files)
  • Laminated documents
  • White paper sheets shredded into strips
  • Paper documents that have turned yellow over time
  • Food waste
  • Used paper plates and napkins
  • Medical waste
  • Photographs
  • Styrofoam
  • Wood
  • Egg cartons

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