Sustainable Waste Management: Approaches Towards Sustainability in India

Abstract

Environmental sustainability is important to preserve resources like clean air, water and wildlife for future generations. Waste directly impacts the environment and its disposal pollutes the air, water and soil. Waste management reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves the quality of air and water, and the condition of any area affected by the waste. The environmental benefits of sustainable waste management are profound. By reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfills, greenhouse gas emissions are significantly lowered, mitigating climate change. Furthermore, conserving natural resources through recycling helps preserve biodiversity and maintain ecosystems. The goal of waste management is to increase the product's lifecycle and reuse and recover materials where possible, in order to reduce the total amount of waste that goes into landfill and minimize the environmental burden. Reducing waste will not only protect the environment but will also save on costs or reduce expenses for disposal. In the same way, recycling and/or reusing the waste that is produced benefit the environment by lessening the need to extract resources and lowers the potential for contamination. Waste reduction is anything that reduces waste by using less material in the first place. Reducing waste can be as simple as using both sides of a sheet of paper, using ceramic mugs instead of disposable cups, or buying in bulk rather than individually packaged items. Sustainable waste management is crucial in today’s world, where environmental concerns are more pressing than ever. Implementing effective waste management practices not only helps in reducing the ecological footprint but also promotes a healthier and cleaner environment for future generations. It is identified that sustainable waste management provides a suitable decision in adopting a methodology for reducing waste with the involvement of all stakeholders in a community. This study involved a questionnaire survey of 320 participants, utilizing simple random sampling and the study area was New Delhi India’s capital. This article delves into the various aspects and benefits and challenges of sustainable waste management.