Renewable municipal waste energy capacity in India 2010-2023
The renewable municipal waste energy capacity in India was approximately 291 megawatts in 2023, up from 260 megawatts a year earlier. Since 2010, the country's municipal waste energy capacity has more than quadrupled.
The growing populace conundrum
India is home to the largest population in the world. Even though it generates one of the lowest volumes of waste per capita, ineffective management and recycling measures have led to a higher risk of disaster and environmental pollution. Government initiatives like "Swachh Bharat Mission" proposed an improvement in the recycling infrastructure and the immediate control of the practice of open dumping of waste. As of 2023, over 100 waste-to-energy plants were operating in India.
Practice of open dumping
The practice of open dumping waste is a common phenomenon in low-income South Asian countries. A large section of the demographic does not practice segregation of waste at the source, a significant prerequisite for efficient waste management and recycling. Even though recent years have improved door-to-door waste collection, the sheer volume of open dumping across the nation hinders effective waste management.
