UK team eyes JVs in waste handling

State governments should take active role in policy making to address the issue of solid waste management (SWM) so that once it is effectively implemented, technology will take care of the remaining job, thinks Douglas Barnes, head of environment industries sector unit of the UK Trade and Investment.

Participating in a seminar on 'Solid Waste Management Solutions from the UK' jointly organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce and UK Trade and Investment, Barnes said that private public partnership (PPP) was essential for best results but there should be well structured policy from the government side.

Barnes explained that the success in SWM in the United Kingdom was primarily due to government's eagerness to back pilot projects under its waste implementation project initiative. A similar approach in India should work well, he said.

A seven-member delegation of UK environmental companies specialising in waste management solutions visited the city for sharing their experience and technology.

"The team has come to develop suitable partnership with local companies for SWM," said Barnes.

The delegation addressed a broad range of issues highlighting UK's capabilities in landfill design and construction, hazardous waste management and innovative technologies for minimising and treating waste including recycling, composting, energy from waste, pyrolysis and gasification, and fly ash utilisation.

KS Rajendrakumar, principal secretary for urban development of the government of West Bengal (GoWB), said municipalities were free to collaborate with private organisations on SWM.

The British deputy high commissioner, Andrew Hall, noted that for attracting investment into the state, GoWB would have to address the issue of solid waste collection and management.

There should be a balance between the 'polluter pays principle' and the establishment of appropriate user charges, noted Umang Kanoria, president of ICC.

Setting up mandatory standards pertaining to waste generation was essential, he added.

Indian cities produced more than 1 lakh ton of municipal solid waste every day.

He said several small municipalities had done well in SWM and other municipalities could adopt the successful models.

"GoWB appears committed to eliminating poverty and from this point of view, effective SWM is crucial," added Hall.