Net-Zero Waste

Context: 

Centre has decided to  bring in new norms for all upcoming housing and commercial complexes.

About the news:

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to Direct States on Net-Zero Building Byelaws: 

• Net-­zero waste treated liquid discharge to be mandatory for upcoming housing and commercial complexes.
• Integrating septic tank design into the bylaws and adherence to standard specifications, geo tagging all septic tanks and manholes for proper tracking and reducing GST on mechanised cleaning vehicles. 
• The directives are part of the government’s effort to implement the manhole to machine­hole scheme to eradicate manual scavenging.

Other Guidelines: 

• To Promote Commercial Use of Processed Sludge as fertilisers and Empanel Sanitation Service Providers.
• To review the Indian standards for mechanised cleaning equipment and consider differential tariff rates for residential and commercial de-­sludging. 
• A “Make in India” startup for promoting low-cost technological solutions such as mechanised spades and sensor sticks for gas detection is being considered. 
• For proper implementation, the Centre will ask the States to impose a legal penalty if buildings do not adhere to the bylaws and standard operating procedures.

Link with SDG 

• Experts believe a mechanised sewage system, coupled with the mandatory zero net waste clause for housing and commercial complexes, was important for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 
• The United Nations SDG 6.3 aims at “halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally” by 2030. 

Potential of recycling 

• India currently generates 72,368 million litres of urban wastewater a day, of which only 28% is treated, as per the Ministry data.
• According to a 2021 Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry report titled “Circular economy in municipal solid and liquid waste”, India’s economy could be boosted if the sale of treated sewage is institutionalised. 
• At a conservative estimate, it has the potential to add close to ₹3,285 crore annually.

Source: The Hindu