Page 96 - GRIHA Manual Volume IV - Introduction to National Rating System
P. 96
Building planning and construction 87
CRIteRIon 25
ResouRCe ReCoveRy
fRoM wAste
Introduction
A large portion of waste management is carried out by the informal sector, which helps feed the
waste products into existing industries that need the waste as a resource material. In that case,
several opportunities are lost for beneficial resource recovery for the building site itself. For instance,
generation of compost or manure from biodegradable waste could be sold or applied in landscaping
on the building campus itself.
In the absence of such systems it is common to find that all the waste from the building and
the complex or campus is mixed and sent straight to landfills. This leads to another common sight,
illegal labour (most often underage) sifting through the landfill trying to recover the recyclable
content from the garbage dump.
The detrimental impacts of such practices are similar to what is mentioned in the earlier criteria.
What is specific to this criterion is the health risk that these waste products pose to the ragpickers and
the informal sector that is engaged in the exercise of recovering this waste from various centralized
as well as decentralized dumping grounds.
Additionally, items such as lamps and electronics that should be directed into recycling streams
find their way into landfills. The level of contamination of the soil and water becomes worse due to
chemicals such as mercury and other metals that ‘bleed’ off electronic items and enter the water
and air streams. Such contamination impacts all the occupants of a settlement either directly or
indirectly.
These days since recyclable waste can be used to manufacture other products, it also prevents
virgin raw material extraction and the resultant ecological damage that occurs with it.
Solutions
The municipal solid wastes contain useful resources that can be recovered after recycling or after
biological processing. Recycling and further processing would reduce the waste going to the landfills
and is beneficial due to resource generation. Most non-biodegradable wastes, such as plastics, old
papers, newspapers, glass, cardboard, and metal scraps, can be recycled.
Following are some of the examples of how waste materials can be recycled or processed further.
# Processed waste paper is converted into sheets of recycled paper, which can be sold to
newspaper agencies.
# Glass and plastics can be converted into various household goods.
# Horticulture wastes such as grass trimmings, leaves, and vegetable wastes can be composted in
pits or heaps.
CRIteRIon 25
ResouRCe ReCoveRy
fRoM wAste
Introduction
A large portion of waste management is carried out by the informal sector, which helps feed the
waste products into existing industries that need the waste as a resource material. In that case,
several opportunities are lost for beneficial resource recovery for the building site itself. For instance,
generation of compost or manure from biodegradable waste could be sold or applied in landscaping
on the building campus itself.
In the absence of such systems it is common to find that all the waste from the building and
the complex or campus is mixed and sent straight to landfills. This leads to another common sight,
illegal labour (most often underage) sifting through the landfill trying to recover the recyclable
content from the garbage dump.
The detrimental impacts of such practices are similar to what is mentioned in the earlier criteria.
What is specific to this criterion is the health risk that these waste products pose to the ragpickers and
the informal sector that is engaged in the exercise of recovering this waste from various centralized
as well as decentralized dumping grounds.
Additionally, items such as lamps and electronics that should be directed into recycling streams
find their way into landfills. The level of contamination of the soil and water becomes worse due to
chemicals such as mercury and other metals that ‘bleed’ off electronic items and enter the water
and air streams. Such contamination impacts all the occupants of a settlement either directly or
indirectly.
These days since recyclable waste can be used to manufacture other products, it also prevents
virgin raw material extraction and the resultant ecological damage that occurs with it.
Solutions
The municipal solid wastes contain useful resources that can be recovered after recycling or after
biological processing. Recycling and further processing would reduce the waste going to the landfills
and is beneficial due to resource generation. Most non-biodegradable wastes, such as plastics, old
papers, newspapers, glass, cardboard, and metal scraps, can be recycled.
Following are some of the examples of how waste materials can be recycled or processed further.
# Processed waste paper is converted into sheets of recycled paper, which can be sold to
newspaper agencies.
# Glass and plastics can be converted into various household goods.
# Horticulture wastes such as grass trimmings, leaves, and vegetable wastes can be composted in
pits or heaps.
