Economics of Urban Solid Waste Management

Abstract

Social crisis arising out of energy and material shortage and ecological imbalance is going to hit the developed and the developing nations of the world in a big way. Of late, the attention of the city planners and the scientists has rightly been focussed on the huge tonnages of solid waste generated by the urban folk, which otherwise poses a serious threat to the habitat due to its improper and unscientific disposal. On the other hand, hygienic solid waste management techniques are often cost - intensive. Technological innovations with resource or energy winning are economically - balanced propositions for urban solid waste management. In this article, a socio - economic analysis of the traditional and the recent methods of urban solid waste management has been presented. Strategies for economic solid waste management in the Indian context have also been highlighted.