SHILLONG, Sep 1: The Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) is at the heart of this endeavour to sustainably manage waste generated in the municipal and Cantonment areas of Shillong.
The authorities have developed a comprehensive waste management system which employs methods such as composting organic materials to transforming waste into fuel for cement kilns. This system not only collects and processes waste but also seeks to minimise its environmental footprint.
The municipality and Cantonment areas in Shillong are currently generating an estimated 184 tonne of solid waste daily. Out of this total, the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) manages to collect 153.5 tonne per day, including 80.75 tonne of segregated waste.
According to official sources, 84.5 tonne of this waste undergoes processing daily. This includes 50 tonne processed through composting, 5 tonne converted into Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), and 29.5 tonne processed as scrap material.
The SMB employs 29 primary collection vehicles, covering 37 routes to facilitate waste collection and transportation. Additionally, 7 Hydraulic Compactors, with capacities ranging from 7 to 11 cubic meters, are utilised to transport the waste to the designated processing and disposal site at Marten, Shillong.
The Marten facility, spanning 18 acres and leased from the Forest department, has been the city’s primary garbage disposal site since its establishment in 1938. Currently, it receives approximately 160 metric tonne of solid waste from the Shillong Urban Agglomeration and surrounding villages daily.
To optimise waste processing, the 170 TPD (Tonnes Per Day) Compost Plant at Marten is employed. The plant also facilitates the scientific disposal of waste, with a sanitary landfill developed over 15,000 square meters. Official sources confirmed that the landfill is designed to be covered and reclaimed for purposes like plantations and parks after an 8-year life span, contributing to landscape enhancement.
In an effort to sustainably manage waste, the SMB has executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dalmia Cements to use RDF as a supplementary fuel in their cement kilns.
For the treatment and disposal of Bio-Medical Waste, a Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility was commissioned at Marten. Spanning over 2009.06 square metres, this facility includes a 100 kg per hour incinerator, a 50 kg per hour autoclave for disinfecting red and blue category waste, and a 50 kg per hour shredder.
