Chapter IX Solid Waste Management
Chapter IX, Solid Waste Management, issued by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, describes existing waste collection and disposal arrangements and future waste management needs across the Chennai Metropolitan Area. It identifies responsible local bodies, estimates waste generation, assesses treatment options and records proposed land requirements and organisational improvements.
What the chapter covers
Chapter IX, Solid Waste Management, provides planning guidance for managing municipal solid waste in Chennai City and the rest of the Chennai Metropolitan Area. It draws on the Municipal Solid Waste Management Study for Madras Metropolitan Area conducted by CMDA with World Bank assistance in 1996, together with later waste composition and chemical analysis attributed to the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute in 2006.
Responsibilities and current arrangements
Chennai Corporation is identified as the agency responsible for solid waste management within the City Corporation area. Municipalities, town panchayats and village panchayats are responsible within their respective areas.
Key arrangements recorded in the chapter include:
- Chennai City was estimated to generate 3,000 tonnes of solid waste daily, plus about 500 tonnes of debris.
- Waste from the Chennai Corporation area was disposed at Kodungaiyur and Perungudi. About 45 percent went to Kodungaiyur and the remainder to Perungudi.
- Non-governmental organisations assisted with community collection in some city areas.
- Private collection and transfer arrangements in Zones VI, VIII and X handled about 1,000 tonnes per day.
- Recycling networks, including dealers, small traders, itinerant buyers and waste pickers, were estimated to recover about 400 tonnes per day.
Waste characteristics and future needs
Households were the largest source, producing 68 percent of Chennai City's waste. Organic matter formed 51.34 percent by weight, while inert material formed 26.01 percent and plastics formed 7.48 percent.
The analysis found high moisture, low combustible content and substantial organic and inert material. It therefore identified low potential for refuse derived fuel and waste to energy incineration, but high potential for composting.
The estimated waste generation for the Chennai Metropolitan Area in 2026 was 6,590 tonnes, excluding debris. This comprised 3,400 tonnes in Chennai City, 2,050 tonnes in municipalities, 550 tonnes in town panchayats and 540 tonnes in panchayat unions.
Land and organisational proposals
Chapter IX records landfill or compost site land requirements for Alandur, Pallavapuram, Tambaram, Pammal, Anakaputhur, Ullagaram Puzhithivakkam and Ambattur. Property owners and buyers near existing or proposed waste facilities may therefore wish to check local planning and site information.
The consultants prioritised clearer responsibilities, better management and improved training over new technology. They also recommended a Chennai Metropolitan Area wide organisation, referred to by the working term Metro Waste, to develop and manage sanitary landfill, transfer and haulage facilities.
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Common questions
Which authority is responsible for waste collection in Chennai City?
Chennai Corporation is identified as the responsible agency for solid waste management within the City Corporation area.
Where was Chennai City's solid waste disposed?
Waste was taken through transfer stations to the designated disposal sites at Kodungaiyur in the north and Perungudi in the south.
Does the chapter identify land needed for landfill or compost sites?
Yes. It records land requirements for Alandur, Pallavapuram, Tambaram, Pammal, Anakaputhur, Ullagaram Puzhithivakkam and Ambattur.
Does the waste analysis support composting or incineration?
The analysis identifies high potential for composting. It finds low potential for refuse derived fuel and waste to energy incineration because of low combustible content, high moisture and high inert content.
