Chennai generates over 5,200 metric tonnes of waste daily and the city lacks a proper waste management system.
Published Dec 07, 2024 | 1:00 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 09, 2024 | 10:55 AM
A putrid stream in Perungudi landfill.
The stench is unbearable and nauseating. It hits hard on anyone approaching the Perungudi dump yard, where unsegregated waste rot.
Puddles of blood-red water complete the dirty picture at Perungudi, a grim reminder of a failed waste management system that mocks the civic body’s “comprehensive and structured” claims.
While the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) promotes its efforts toward systematic waste management, a closer look reveals discrepancies between policy and practice.
According to GCC data, Chennai generates over 5,200 metric tonnes of waste daily. The waste generated falls under three categories:
– Mixed waste: The majority of garbage, including household and hazardous waste. They are unsegregated.
– Segregated waste: A smaller percentage of the waste is sent to decentralised facilities for recycling or energy production.
– Dumped waste: The remainder lands in the city’s two overburdened landfill sites — Kodungaiyur and Perungudi.
GCC Deputy Mayor Magesh Kumar told South First about the challenges in managing Chennai’s waste. He said the volume of waste varies significantly depending on the day.
“The amount of waste fluctuates daily,” he explained, noting that festivals like Deepavali see a surge of 100 to 200 tonnes due to increased household and commercial waste, including packaging, decorations, and leftover food.
He added that the situation becomes even more difficult during the rainy season, as rainwater mixes with unsegregated waste, creating slush and toxic runoff that complicate collection and disposal efforts.
“The rainy season is particularly challenging, as the entire waste management system becomes a mess,” he admitted.
T Nagar resident Sheela Jayam spoke about a major issue with segregating waste. “Segregation starts at home, but most people don’t bother. Even when we segregate, everything gets mixed at later stages. It’s disheartening,” she said.
Several others, too, raised the same point, “I’ve seen trucks unload all types of waste at the Perungudi dump yard, undoing the segregation efforts made at home,” Preethi, a Velachery resident, said.
The GCC claimed that 70 percent of households practice door-to-door waste segregation. Waste is transported in tricycles, light motor vehicles, and battery-operated carts to decentralised facilities. However, ground reports revealed that a significant portion of this waste—both segregated and unsegregated—ultimately ends up in sprawling, hazardous landfills.
The Perungudi landfill processes 2,400–2,600 metric tonnes of waste daily. Workers said it is a hellscape. Ragpickers and sanitation staff navigate through the toxic slush and unsegregated waste with little to no protection.
Manjula, a private waste collector, complained about the lack of cleaning facilities.
“I come dressed in clean clothes every day, but by the time I leave, I’m covered in filth,” she said. The lack of proper facilities forces her to rely on contaminated water to clean herself, which leaves her feeling no better.
“It’s not just me,” she explained, “there are about 100 others who would say the same. We’ve become used to this situation, but that doesn’t make it right. It’s unfair to deny us basic protection.”
Despite health risks, she continued her work. Like several others, she has no choice.
Parameshwari, too, voiced safety concerns. “We have no boots, no gloves, no protection whatsoever,” she said.
The rainy season, however, brings more trouble. “When it rains, the situation worsens. We have to wade through knee-deep slush, which is not just water but a dangerous mix of chemicals and waste. It feels like we’re risking our lives every day, but no one seems to care,” she added.
Murugan, another worker, said they use discarded boots and gloves from the garbage. “It’s not ideal, but this is our livelihood. We make do with what we can find,” he said.
The Perungudi dump yard, which made headlines in 2022 after it emanated toxic fumes, continues to be an environmental and health hazard.
Hazardous waste burning and leachate contamination remain prevalent, posing severe risks to the environment and public health. Residents and workers in the vicinity suffer from widespread respiratory illnesses and skin conditions.
Kodungaiyur, the city’s other major landfill, faces a similar situation. Fires frequently erupt, releasing toxic fumes that pollute the surrounding air and water.
Despite these persistent dangers, the site continues to process over 5,000 metric tonnes of waste daily, with minimal improvements to safety or management protocols. Rajamanikam, a worker who works in Kodungaiyur on some days told South First that the situation in the North Chennai landfill is worse.
Workers like Raji endure relentless hardships to keep the city clean. “My legs get stuck in the slush, and the chemicals burn my skin,” she said. “But I’ve been doing this for years. This is my livelihood. If I don’t do it, who will feed my family?”
Private collectors like Ramini and Kalai scavenge metals to sell. “Some days, I make enough to eat, and some days I don’t. But every day, I know I’m inhaling fumes that will one day prevent me from working,” Kalai said.
Residents living near the Perungudi dump yard face their share of struggles. Muthulakshmi, whose home is located in a low-lying area close to the landfill, said the filth from the dump yard floods the streets and seeps into the residences during rains.
“Our children play in this water because we can’t stop it. My youngest has been coughing for weeks now, and the clinic just says it’s because of the air we breathe every day,” she said.
Ramesh, another resident, is frustrated. “The smell is unbearable. It never leaves. During the rains, the chemicals from the landfill mix with the water and make it worse. We’ve complained, but nothing has changed. Our immune systems have taken a toll. My wife has asthma now, and I’m scared our kids will fall sick too.”
Sangeetha, a mother of three, said there is no escaping the stench. “We’re too poor to shift, so we’re stuck here, suffering.”
The GCC outlines several initiatives for waste management:
1. Decentralized Compost Plants: These facilities process 142 metric tonnes of organic waste per day for composting.
2. Waste-to-Energy Plants: Bio-degradable waste generates electricity for streetlights and parks.
3. C&D Waste Management: Construction debris is repurposed for landfill layering.
Yet, many of these processes remain on paper. “Claims of proper segregation and recycling are far from reality,” said Kumar (name changed), a resident of Adyar. “Everything ends up in dump yards.”
Rajesh M, a Solid Waste Management (SWM) engineer, said waste segregation should begin at the household level.
He explained that Chennai’s waste management system involves segregating dry and wet waste, micro composting, as well as initiatives like Material Collection Centers (MCC) and Bio CNG production.
Rajesh said about 70 percent of the city’s daily waste, which amounts to approximately 3,500 metric tonnes, is being segregated through door-to-door collection, with efforts to ensure proper compliance. Additionally, he mentioned that sector-specific bio-composting and other methods are being utilized to streamline waste processing in Chennai.
For residents like Priya of Anna Nagar, the solution begins at home. “If we segregate waste at the source, we make the system’s job easier,” she said, emphasizing the importance of civic responsibility.
Priya felt that even small, consistent changes—such as separating wet and dry waste, reusing items, or opting for eco-friendly alternatives—can have a profound impact on the larger system.
“It’s not just about throwing garbage into the right bin: it’s about creating a collective mindset where we all contribute to making the environment better,” she added.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
