Generation of less waste, reuse of consumables, recycling of waste, and recovery of valuable resources from waste are considered as good practices. ... This process of conversion of waste to a product that can be put to primary use can be viewed as a process of generating wealth. Hence the phrase 'Waste to Wealth'.
The ‘Waste-to-Energy’ and Waste Management market in India is set to be a $14bn opportunity by the year 2025. The population of 1.3 billion in India currently generates 62 million tonnes of municipal solid waste per year. And by 2027, India is set to become the world’s most populous country as per projections of the United Nations (1) with 7 new megacities (2). At this exponential population and urban growth rate, landfills almost 90% of the size of Bengaluru would be required for dumping if the waste remains untreated. Though rapid urbanization presents a humungous challenge, with the right policy framework and action, this challenge can be turned into a golden opportunity. The scale of opportunity may be gauged from the fact that India has the potential to generate 3GW of electricity from waste by 2050 (3).