A Working Observation on the Dry Waste Collection Centers in Bangalore

This paper studies the role of Dry Waste Collection Centers (DWCCs) in Municipal Solid Waste Management in Bangalore which were set up following LokAdalat's intervention directing the Municipality to set up these centers to enable ward level recycling. The Karnataka High Court further validated the direction by instructing the municipality to set up necessary infrastructures to facilitate ward level decentralized management of waste for all categories.The DWCC is a hallmark of the triple bottom line of sustainable business operations– people, planet and profit, and modeled on three corner- stones – Social Considerations, Economic Considerations and Environmental Impact. Based on a zero-subsidy model for operations, the DWCCs are envisioned to meet the environmental objective of managing the MSW recyclable waste stream through responsible recycling. They are also expected to be a hub for social inclusion of the informal sector in the process, and ensure economic viability through market driven delivery mechanisms.The paper traces the history of DWCCs and studies the operations of 32 DWCCs which have been in operation for more than a year and operated by the informal sector. In addition, the paper will also analyze the effect of dry waste diverted from landfills at the ward level and will provide recommendations to enhancing performance of these centers.