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Safe Waste Disposal

Wastes need to be disposed increased use of chemicals, but also
responsibly. In a brick and mortar a significant increase in volume of e-
world, wastes were limited to wastes. Handling of such wastes
municipal wastes, with a significant involves segregation, conversion to
amount accounted for by energy/fuel, recycling for adoption
petrochemical/chemical product in other product generation. While
wastages. With a paradigm shift in these products might not be 100%
communication technologies, the bio-degradable, chemistry offers
world has become highly device solutions for recycling such non-bio
driven. It has not only led to an degradable products.

BASF :
Sustainable Waste Management Systems

Waste generated by modern society is one of the greatest problems of the 21st century. A 2014 Planning
Commission report estimates that urban India generates around 60 million tons of waste. Most of this
remains untreated and as India grows rapidly, the challenge of managing waste will only become more daunting.

At BASF, one of the key projects on waste management is adoption of innovative technology known as
ecovio®, which is certified compostable and biodegradable. It consists of compostable and bio-
degradable BASF polymer ecoflex® and PLA (polylactic acid). PLA is derived from corn or other sugar
generating plants such as Manioc. Like the biodegradable waste itself, ecovio waste bags can be
completely broken down by microorganisms into carbon dioxide, water and biomass. The bags can help
reduce the amount of organic waste that ends up in landfills thus contributing to lowering carbon
emissions and helping resource recovery. Thus, it helps in protecting the environment, and also
lowering the disposal costs for residual waste. Imagine an India, where organic kitchen waste is
segregated at homes, collected and composted at a composting site and after a few weeks, this high-
quality compost is used for farming. A perfect example of circular economy and aligns perfectly with
the goals of Swachch Bharat!
BASF is currently working on a lighthouse project for ecovio, with the one of the State Governments in India.

Untreated waste, for example, solutions to this challenge, such
causes ground, surface and soil as certified compostable and
contamination. According to a biodegradable waste bags. These
Central Pollution Control Board bags allow waste to biodegrade into
report, close to 50% of the waste valuable compost. Solutions such as
going into landfills across India these can be widely implemented by
contains organic matter which does municipalities across the country.
not biodegrade aerobically. It Of course, segregation of waste at
produces methane, a greenhouse source which is critical for any
gas many times more potent than scalable waste management
carbon dioxide. Advances in program, requires community
biodegradable chemistry have level participation and should
evolved several sustainable continue to be promoted.

Photo Credit: BASF