14,600 MTD plastic waste collected in Mumbai in 2024, a 33 per cent jump from last year

The report also found that 50 per cent of the Bulk Waste Generators (BWG) societies in Mumbai did not process their wet waste at source in the previous year.

A report by the Praja Foundation revealed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) collected an average of 14,623 metric tonnes per day (MTD) of waste from its 24 municipal wards in 2024 — a 33% increase from 2020-2021, when 10,500 MTD was collected.

The data also revealed that 12,351 solid waste management-related civic complaints were reported in 2022, up from 11,056 the previous year, a 12% increase.

Among the 12,351 complaints registered in 2022, 4,356 concerned the failure to lift garbage from houses, gullies, markets, and roads. Meanwhile, the least serious complaints about garbage lorries that did not report for service were reported.

The report reveals that the highest per capita/day waste in 2022, weighing 0.90 kg, 0.84 kg, and 0.76 kg, respectively, was collected from Mumbai corporation's A ward, which covers Churchgate, Colaba, and Navy Nagar; B ward, which covers Masjid Bunder, Mohd Ali Road, Dongri, and Bhendi Bazaar; and H/West ward, which covers western areas Bandra, Khar, and Santacruz.

Meanwhile, the maximum waste collected per day was from L ward, which includes Sakinaka, Chandivali, Asaloha, and Kurla; G/North ward, which provides for Dharavi, Mahim, and Dadar; and K/East ward, which covers Andheri East, Jogeshwari, and Vile Parle, at a total of 491 MTD, 459 MTD, and 441 MTD, respectively.

"Effective decentralisation of solid waste management is the need of the hour to manage and process waste at source," said Yogesh Mishra, Head of Research and Analysis of Praja Foundation.

About 88 per cent of Mumbai's waste is sent to the Kanjurmarg landfill, while 12 per cent is directed to the Deonar dumping ground.

"With decentralised waste management processes, BMC can reduce the cost of transporting waste to landfills. An approximate calculation of the cost to collect and transport one MTD of waste to the landfill from all 24 wards is Rs. 3,840/day. Hence, transporting 6,300 MTD of waste costs BMC Rs. 2.42 crore/day and annually is as high as Rs 883 crore", said Milind Mhaske, CEO of Praja Foundation.

The report also found that 50 per cent of the Bulk Waste Generators (BWG) societies in Mumbai did not process their wet waste at source in the previous year.