Social and Policy Study for Municipal Solid Waste Management Planning for Small Towns in Maharashtra: Case of Mowad

Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) is a major environmental and social concern for the small towns and growing villages, considering the rapid urbanization and the subsequent changes in the waste generation patterns. Accommodating the small-town characteristics to design feasible and sustainable MSWM plans is one of the biggest challenges faced by the urban local bodies today. This study presents the status of MSWM from the perspective of small towns, in order to establish the causality for the failure in its implementation. Comparisons are drawn between the prescribed, planned and implemented MSWM practices with the help of a case study and a comprehensive methodology. Variations are mapped at each functional step of the MSWM protocol and corrective actions are suggested based on the field surveys. Acknowledging the need for collection system optimization, incorporation of land use in MSWM plans and the inadequacies of small towns in designing those, a simple and robust method is devised to allow efficient and scalable collection plans based on the urban demographic and spatial characteristics. Strategy for regular evaluation of collection system is also provided so that 100% collection can be ensured. It is concluded that the MSWM systems are under designed in small towns and require innovative interventions to sustain within limited resources.