Towards Zero Solid Waste:
Another Environmental Footprint Turning Positive
Solid waste management, even in large and medium cities and towns in India, is far from satisfactory and significant proportions are disposed by land filling/dumping.
Most dumping sites are serious health hazards to people living in the neighbourhood and are liable to contaminate ground water. ITC’s unique endeavours have resulted in yet another positive environmental footprint.
Reducing & recycling all the solid waste generated in ITC factories and hotels
|
| Total Solid Waste |
314,585 |
303,913 |
352,970 |
| % Recycled |
78.7% |
93.1% |
98.95% |
| Un-recycled Waste |
66,857 |
20,995 |
3,706 |
| Outside wastes used as raw materials |
152,687 |
167,913 |
163,245 |
|
|
| All figures (except % recycled) in tonnes |
Recycling of solid waste in ITC improved to 98.95% in 2007-08 (from 93.09 % in the previous year).
Cigarette factories at Bengaluru, Saharanpur, Munger and Kolkata, Leaf Threshing units at Chirala and Anaparti, Paperboards and Specialty Paper units at Kovai and Tribeni, the ITC Green Centre at Gurgaon, Surya Nepal’s Cigarette factory at Simra and ITC Hotels - Maurya, Maratha, Grand Central, Sonar, Windsor, Mughal, Kakatiya, and Sheraton Chola, Rajputana and New Delhi achieved nearly 100% recycling of all solid waste.
The solid wastes that could not be recycled during 2007-08 amounted to 3706 tonnes. The paperboards units also procured and used 163,245 tonnes of waste paper as raw material. |
Creating Wealth Out of Waste
 ITC’s Wealth out of Waste (WOW) initiative is helping create awareness among the public about the advantages of the “Reduce-Reuse-Recycle” process. This is a significant step in the Company’s efforts to protect the environment, improve civic amenities, as well as public health and hygiene, while generating cost-effective raw material for the paper, plastics, metal and glass industries.
ITC’s Paperboards & Specialty Papers business has ITC’s Paperboards & Specialty Papers business has launched the WOW initiative in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Khammam District in Andhra Pradesh and Kovai District in Tamil Nadu. What started in a small way with households has now spread to schools, government offices, corporates and other institutions.
To emphasise the importance of source segregation, ITC provides special bags to accumulate dry waste like paper, plastic and metals and arranges periodic collection through outsourced agencies. The waste paper is used by ITC and the other materials are sold to the recycling industries. Segregated dry waste can save almost 40% of municipal garbage handling costs, which can be utilised to improve civic amenities. |
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