Marriage halls, restaurants should create compost pits

Corporation makes it mandatory to reduce bio-degradable waste at source

In an effort to reduce bio-degradable waste at source, the Tiruchi Corporation has made it mandatory for marriage halls, restaurants and college hostels in the city to set up micro compost yards on their premises.

According to a rough estimate, there are about 250 marriage halls and 100 restaurants in the city. They are located in different parts of the city. A section of hotels located in Central Bus Stand and Chathiram Bus Stand have marriage halls attached to them. They produce huge quantity of degradable and non-degradable waste on marriage days, making the job difficult for solid waste managers and sanitary workers. The waste includes use-and-throw plastic water bottles, carry bags, banana leaves, plastic cups, ice cream cups and others. They also dump food waste, leftovers and vegetable waste in the dust bins provided by the Corporation.

According to a rough estimate, while small marriage halls generate about half a tonne of waste, big marriage halls with a seating capacity of 500 and above generate about a tonne of waste. Officials are of the view that marriage halls and restaurants can reduce 75 % of waste at its source by setting up micro compost yards or bio-digesters.

N. Ravichandran, Corporation Commissioner, told The Hindu that as per the Solid Waste Management-2016 rules, all bulk producers of solid waste, including hotels, restaurants, marriage halls and hostels, have to set up facilities on their premises to treat and recycle the waste. It would be fully followed in Tiruchi Corporation. All marriage halls, hostels, restaurants and bulk producers of waste have been asked to set up micro compost units. It would make them produce organic manure too, he said and added that the rule would be applicable to those generating more than 100 kg of waste. The Corporation would provide technical expertise and help them create compost pits.

Mr. Ravichandran said about 15 restaurants, marriage halls and hostels had already set up micro compost units on their premises. Zonal officers were asked to monitor the progress of creating solid management facilities at marriage halls and restaurants.

Source:http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/marriage-halls-restaurants-should-create-compost-pits/article19654337.ece