more-in Navi Mumbai: After achieving nearly 75% segregation of solid waste into wet (biodegradable) and dry (recyclable) categories in all its eight wards, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC ) is set to introduce a third category, namely electronic waste(e-waste) segregation. The proposal is the brainchild of NMMC commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. “Around 75% of waste is segregated at source. Taking this a step forward, we will introduce electronic waste too,” Mr. Mundhe told The Hindu. The NMMC is working out the method of collecting this waste at source. The NMMC generates 650 metric tonnes (mt) of garbage per day, of which 190-200 mt is wet waste, while 190 mt is dry waste (including e-waste). Around 25-30 mt is green waste and the rest is mixed garbage. The NMMC’s Solid Waste Management (SWM) Department started the wet and dry segregation from June 1, 2016, making it mandatory for all housing societies, residents’ associations, industries and hotels to separate wet (biodegradable) and dry (recyclable) waste before handing it over to the municipal staff, said Tushar Pawar, Deputy Municipal Commissioner, SWM. “Since the introduction of waste segregation, we have been constantly telling people to segregate waste at the source level. Societies who did not do so were first given a warning, following which garbage was not picked up as punishment, and further, a fine was imposed. Almost 600 societies were fined and nearly Rs. 2,00,000, was collected as fine in the last six months,” said Mr. Pawar. To facilitate segregation, the municipality had provided waste bins in two colours: green for wet waste and blue for dry waste. The corporation distributed 16,600 bins from January to February 2016. “Separate fibre bins have been kept for wet and dry garbage in blue and green of 120-litre and 240-litre capacity outside societies. In public areas, metal bins of 1100 litres have been kept to collect waste,” said Mr. Pawar.

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