CPCB sponsored a project to NEERI on "Assessment of Status of Municipal Solid Wastes Management in Metro Cities and State Capitals" with a view to establishing database on National level for selected 59 cities. The selected cities include 35 metro cities and 24 State capitals. Objective of the study was to assess the compliance status of 59 cities with Municipal Solid Wastes (Management & Handling) Rules, 2000 and initiatives taken for improving solid waste management practices.

It has been observed that initiatives for collection of waste from house-to-house and waste segregation has been undertaken in only 7 cities, privatization of transportation of waste has been done in 11 cities and waste processing facilities have been set up in 15 cities. Ten waste processing facilities are based on composting; one of these composting facilities has provision for energy recovery also, four are based on vermi-composting, and one facility employs pelletisation and energy recovery technology. None of the cities is having proper sanitary landfill site and uncontrolled dumping of MSW has been observed in all but one cities. Leachate collection is practiced in only two cities and gas collection in only one city.

In many cities, bio-medical waste (BMW) is getting mixed with MSW. Slaughterhouse waste is not managed properly and is dumped at landfill site along with MSW in all except 12 cities, which have made separate arrangements for collection of such wastes.

Studies have revealed that waste generation rate varies from 0.12 to 0.60 kg per capita per day. Analysis of physical composition indicates total compostable matter in the waste is in the range of 40-60 percent while recyclable fraction was observed between 10 and 25 per cent. The moisture content in the MSW was observed to vary from 30 to 60 per cent while the C:N ratio was observed to be in the range of 20-40.

Based on the study, suggestive guidelines for management of MSW are indicated and each local body will have to prepare detailed project report estimating requirement of tools and equipment and fund estimates.

India has a good potential for the production and use of MSW based compost and sewage sludge generated in various metros and municipalities. However, few studies have been conducted on its safe and economic disposal and its application on agricultural land in different cropping system.

A project taken up by Central Pollution Control Board with IARI attempts to cover the safe and beneficial use of MSW compost and sewage sludge in agriculture vis a vis its environmental impacts based on extensive experimentations and a review of the scientific literature. Under the project, detailed studies on characterization of compost quality and its application on agricultural crops. Seven compost plants were studied for characterization of compost quality. Studies indicated that average concentration of heavy metals in the raw waste that was fed to the various compost plants was in the range of 47 to 185 mg per kg in respect of lead, 36 to 63 mg/kg for nickel and 1.5 to 6.5 mg/kg for cadmium. The level of mercury in raw waste was between 0.01 and 0.23 mg/kg. Heavy metals in the finished compost were ranging as follows; Pb; 108-203 mg/kg; Ni- 8-80 mg/kg; Cd-3.8-12.4 mg/kg and mg – 0.01-0.31 mg/kg.

It has been observed that the growth attributes of wheat/ maize and vegetable crops viz., plant height, number of cobs/tillers/m2, dry matter production and leaf area index, were increased due to supply of nitrogen through combination of different doses of urea with compost/ sewage sludge.

CPCB and MoEF have instituted a scheme for setting up of demonstration project for solid waste management in accordance with MSW Rule. Objective of the scheme is to demonstrate total implementation of MSW Rule. The scheme is on cost sharing basis where concerned local body is required to contribute 50% of the total cost of the project. Initially, the scheme is confined for one town in each State/UT. The following project have been taken up or planned.