Daily monitoring in Solid Waste Management (SWM) helps track vehicle routes, optimise collection efficiency, identify issues, and improve overall system performance, leading to better resource management and environmental protection.
- Helps identify bottlenecks, delays, and inefficiencies in collection routes, leading to optimised routes and reduced fuel consumption
- Can be used to assess the performance of vehicles, crews, and the overall SWM system.
- By analysing data, authorities can identify systemic problems within the SWM system, such as inefficient collection practices or inadequate infrastructure, and implement corrective measures.
- Daily monitoring can help reduce operational costs associated with SWM.
- Helps to provide valuable insights for making informed decisions about SWM operations, infrastructure, and policy.
- Can help track the amount of waste generated and recycled, allowing for better planning and implementation of waste reduction and recycling programs
14 Jun 2025
Deliveries-Dry
Deliveries-Wet
Characterisation-Dry
Characterisation-Wet
Waste Delivery & Characterisation
Dry Waste Handling
The projected daily dry waste generation of the township is 5,600 kg and constitutes a third of the municipal waste collected.
The term is used in a broader sense as sanitary waste which is treated in most local bodies as a separate entity is as well included here
Characterisation is done after weigment of the re-sorted streams and will not tally with the quantity of waste delivered. It is also dependent on the methodology which designates and groups material that are considered as recyclable.
Waste is usually characterised into 7-8 major streams and 23 minor streams.
Wet Waste Composting
The projected daily dry waste generation of the township is 11,200 kg.
Wet waste produced by bulk generators is not taken into consideration as they are supposed to take make arrangements for its safe disposal.
Unlike in dry waste management characterisation is done on weigment of the individual trucks and is quantified into butcher residue, market waste and household waste.
Butcher residue provides the nitrogen source and the other two are sources of carbon. Depending on this ratio amendments are added to the pulverised homogenate to facilitate composting and maintain a good nutrient content in the end product.
The KPIs & Variables
Dry Waste Handling
The entire process of dry waste handling is monitored through 10 KPIs. The first two monitor the quantity of the inward as against the projected generation and unit capacity. The next two indicate the quality. KPIs-5, 6 & 7 check the process performance and the last three reflect on the output.
Three KPIs deserve special mention, the delivery rate, the handling rate and the recovery rate and are elaborated here and details on the rest can be viewed by checking the individual links.
- Delivery Rate – The quantum of waste collected and transported by the local body to the waste management facility as against the projected daily generation. The estimated generation for the town’s population is 5600 kgs per day which works out to 2,044,000 kgs for the year.
- Handling Rate – The next important parameter is the percentage of waste handled out of the quantity delivered. The normative is above 90% with an allowance being given for moisture content of the material, weighment errors, etc.
- Recovery Rate – Recovery rate as well plays an important part in monitoring as a higher recovery, projects higher efficiency and a lower carbon footprint. Recovery is broadly splits as – recyclables recovery – compostables recovery – and recovery for closed burning or safe storage. The norm for the first two combined together has been fixed at 40-80%, taking into consideration as to the methodology of re-sorting followed.
Both the quantum and character of waste delivered are governed by a set of 12 variables, some of which act as intervenors and others as confounders as the case may be.
| Variable | Dry Waste |
|---|---|
| Methodology | Resorting methodology centring on identification of Low Value Plastics for incineration with energy capture, other combustibles for on-site closed burning without energy capture, and degradable rejects for composting – economic but has lower recyclables recovery rates. |
| Absenteeism | 22% |
| Key Personnel Absenteeism | No |
| Power Outage / Machinery Breakdowns | 0% |
| Impurities in Waste Stream | 17% |
| Moisture in Waste Stream | 20% |
| % of Deliveries from sources other than the municipal | 14% |
| Special Single Stream | No |
| Bulk Deliveries > 1 metric ton | No |
| % of collection circuits completed | 80% |
| Special Circumstances | No |
| Special Activities | None |
Wet Waste Composting
The KPIs which monitor wet waste collection and composting are listed below-
- As with dry waste, the quantum of waste collected and transported for composting, as against the projected daily generation, is of prime importance. The estimated generation for wet waste is double that of the dry element, 11,200 kgs a day, or 4,088,000 kgs for the year. Taking into consideration the moist climatic conditions, between 10-15% of the processed input composts over a period of 35-60 days before being ready for use as fertiliser.
- Next comes the sieving and bagging of the matured compost, an ideal would be something >90%, but a few confounding variables have a say, power outages and absenteeism being common examples.
- Although the sale of compost is highly seasonal it is wiser not to overstock, the chief reasons being spillage and spoilage. The ideal shelf life would be around a month, and the desired despatch rate should be around 90%, either through sale or free issue.
As with the dry component, wet waste delivered is also governed by a set of 11 variables.
| Variable | Wet Waste |
|---|---|
| Methodology | Screening of entire waste stream followed by pulverisation of butcher residue and fibrous waste |
| Absenteeism | 20% |
| Key Personnel Absenteeism | No |
| Power Outage / Machinery Breakdowns | 0% |
| Impurities in Waste Stream | 2% |
| Moisture in Waste Stream | Not Assessed |
| % of Deliveries from sources other than the municipal | 2% |
| Special Single Stream | No |
| Bulk Deliveries > 1 metric ton | No |
| % of collection circuits completed | 80% |
| Special Circumstances | No |
| Special Activities | None |
