Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

A STUDY ON THE CHARACTERIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF SOLID WASTES IN GUWAHATI CITY

Utpal Goswami and H.P. Sarma

Abstract

With greater industrialization and increasing population an alarming problem of solid waste generation and disposal has been created in cities and towns. In the city of Guwahati also the huge generation of solid waste' has damped the ecology leading to environmental pollution. About 500 metric tons of solid waste is generated in Guwahati everyday. The amount of waste generation is different with respect to the different G.M.C. ward divisions and different houses with different number of family members. Out of about 500 metric tons of waste, 55% is food and vegetable waste, 15.9% is earth materials and other composition is in less proportion. The Guwahati Municipal Corporation disposes the adequate amount of the generated waste at proper dumping site. The Corporation does not possess any device for recycling. Segregation is not carried out before disposal ol the solid wastes.