‘Dry-wet’ waste segregation worsening garbage crisis in Assam: Experts

Guwahati, Jan 19: The Swachh Bharat Mission’s waste management framework is facing growing scrutiny in Assam, with environmental experts warning that unscientific segregation practices are aggravating garbage accumulation, environmental degradation and the conversion of open spaces into waste and toxic zones.

Under the Mission, urban local bodies, including the Guwahati Municipal Corporation, promote household segregation of waste into “dry” and “wet” categories. Experts, however, argue that this model is fundamentally flawed, as these terms describe temporary physical conditions rather than scientifically valid categories for waste treatment or recycling.

According to the Assam compliance report submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in September 2024, urban areas in the State generate about 1,338 tonnes of municipal solid waste daily. Of this, around 1,231 tonnes are collected, but only about 791 tonnes are processed, leaving nearly 440 tonnes unprocessed or dumped each day. The report also notes that Assam is burdened with a legacy stockpile of over 32 lakh metric tonnes of untreated waste, which continues to grow.

Guwahati is the largest contributor, generating approximately 550-650 tonnes of waste daily. With limited processing capacity, large volumes of mixed waste end up in dumping grounds, drains, river channels and low-lying areas, posing serious environmental and public health risks.

Environmental specialists say the core issue lies in a poor understanding of solid waste. Biodegradable waste can become dry under certain conditions, while plastics and packaging materials often turn wet when contaminated with food or liquids. Once mixed, such waste requires specialised scientific management, making simple dry-wet segregation ineffective.

“The present practice of mixing plastic waste with biodegradable waste is ruining the entire solid waste management system and gradually converting open land into toxic zones,” said Dr Amarjyoti Kashyap, an environmental scientist working in solid waste management. He noted that terms like dry and wet waste have entered policy without scientific scrutiny. “There is no permanent dry or wet waste. These are conditions, not management categories. Policies based on such terms fail on the ground,” he said.

Dr Kashyap pointed out that around 120 bighas of land at West Boragaon have already been consumed by legacy waste. “If another 60 bighas at Belortol are lost, Guwahati will be left with no viable dumping space. ‘Legacy waste’ is simply decades-old garbage,” he added.

Recent incidents have highlighted the gravity of the situation. A viral video showing garbage choking the Bharalu river sparked public outrage. Residents along the Mora Bharalu channel have long complained of unchecked dumping, while concerns have been raised over garbage bins placed near a government shelter home in Fatasil Ambari. Plastic litter on Brahmaputra riverbanks after public events and the continued sale of banned plastic items have further exposed enforcement gaps.

Environmentalists have also linked poor waste handling to clogged drains and worsening urban floods during the monsoon. Dr Kashyap questioned terms like “single-use plastic” and “organic waste,” saying they lack scientific clarity and create confusion in policy and practice.

Experts warn that unless waste management under the Swachh Bharat Mission is redesigned on scientific principles –focusing on segregation based on treatment, recycling and disposal pathways – the Mission’s goals will remain unmet in Assam. “We must first understand solid waste scientifically to achieve Swachh Bharat,” Dr Kashyap said.