Growing need to support recycling even more today

The world is now growing at an even faster rate than it was a decade ago. This rapid growth has not only brought new technology to the world but also a fair square of equal responsibility that needs to be addressed along.

A large number of garbage is generated every day that is not disposed of with proper measures. Bringing the challenge to both humans and nature.

More than 90% of solid waste is dumped openly or burned in low-income countries. According to a World Bank report, there are 2 billion tonnes of solid waste produced annually worldwide and it’s going to increase to 3 billion tonnes in the next 30 years. Of all the waste produced not more than 33% is managed in an environment-friendly manner.

We can say that one of the major contributors to this pollution is the plastic waste that is dumped directly into our oceans in some form or other. In 2016 alone the world produced an alarming 242 million tonnes of plastic field, it would be right to say that the water volume of this waste is equal to around 4.8 million Olympic size swimming pools.

It is very important to acknowledge this growing concern over increasing pollution and work in the right direction in reducing it.  Of all the European nations Germany is leading with an example of the best country to recycle its municipal waste. It recycles around 56% of its waste while Austria recycles around 53% of its waste. Surprisingly Singapore recycles only 34% of its waste.

We cannot ignore the fact of waste management on the pretext of being a developed nation or developing nation, everyone needs to contribute equally to recycling waste. The Semakau landfill is an island made out of garbage in Singapore that everyone is already aware of. Uganda has made an amusement park for children out of plastic waste which is a great way to innovate.

Sweden is a country that is now running out of garbage to feed its heating plant which is centrally operated. This shows how various sectors are dealing with a common problem. Indonesia provides free healthcare to its citizen to promote recycling as part of their project Garbage Clinic another very different approach. India-based startup Trashcon is making compressed boards with solid waste.

India being the world leader in providing some of the best engineering minds has always had something different to offer. The idea to not only remove waste but completely recycle it also solves another problem. Trashcon has completely changed the recycling story of India, with its simple technology it is solving a bigger problem by addressing the masses. Boundary Holding, headed by Rajat Khare an IIT Delhi alumni, based in Luxemburg have invested in them. Such investments indicate that innovative waste management are now getting traction from dynamic investors.

Transhcon have successfully automated the task of waste segregation. Of which the metals are detected and removed separately from the Wet waste and Dry waste. Wet waste is collected with more than 85% segregation efficiency and is composted. The remaining Dry waste is converted to granules, for making compressed boards.  

Using recycled material can also be seen as replacing a virgin material that initially would have been used in the first place. This would compensate for the greenhouse gases produced by the production of new material, which is now replaced with recycled one. With rising global temperature and melting of polar ice, every contribution towards environmental protection should be applauded. Trashcon is not only contributing to society by recycling but it has also taken up many CSR activities to support the local community.

www.trashcon.in