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WASTE MANAGEMENT IN THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS IN INDIA, CHINA

AND THE UK A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Conference Paper · May 2015

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 WASTE MANAGEMENT IN THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS IN INDIA, CHINA AND
THE UK A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

1
Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
2
International Society of Waste Management, Air and Water( ISWMAW), Kolkata, India
* Corresponding author. Tel: +91- 8981553106 E-mail: [email protected]
ABSTRACT. Public transportation services helps in developing the economic growth of a nation and at the
same time support public policies regarding energy use, air quality and carbon emissions. A significant
amount of waste is generated daily from the public transport, the data of which is not available in reliable
sources. There is a need to link public transport waste management with other policies, like planning,
developing of waste policies in an integrated framework. Most of the research work has focused on the
economic importance, demand of public transport, its environmental impact mainly, the carbon emission
reduction etc. The strategy how the waste management has been enacted in UK for public transport is also
reported which is not available in China and India. No literature is available that discusses the issues and
challenges of supply chain in the waste management of the public transport sectors. Main purpose of this
research is to analyze the supply chain characteristics and issues and challenges of Waste Management
system of Public transports in India, China and the UK.
Keywords: Public Transport; Waste Management; Strategies; AHP

Introduction
A significant amount of waste is generated daily from the public transport, the data of which is not available
in reliable sources. This study aims to analyze the main barriers present in the waste management of the
public mode of transport. It clearly prioritizes the issues and challenges faced in India and China where as
UK has the full developed sustainable supply chain. It proves to be a cross sectional learning for developing
countries from developed countries. Comparative analysis of approaches of supply chain management of
the Waste generated practiced in the public transport systems in developed and developing countries is
scant. Therefore, this study bridges this gaps and provides a suggestion in making the developing countries
waste management sustainable in every day practice, in developing countries.

Material and Methods

Literature review is done in order to identify issues in managing the management issues in the public mode
of transport in the supply chain in general India, China, Taiwan and the UK in specific. Formulating a
questionnaire for studying practices in each country. Identifying representative transport mode - rails
and airport sector in each country to pursue the study. Undertaking the data collection and analysis through
interviewing the representatives of the concerned public transport stakeholders and the field study in all
the three countries. Collating the information to reveal issues and challenges. Suggesting improvement
measures from cross learning along with learning from prior researches. The study shows that in UK the
waste generated by the public modes of transports (railways and airways) is managed very efficiently and
effectively with strict clear defined rules and legislations being present to strategically handle the waste in
public vehicles. In UK third party handle the contract of waste management in different bus, rail and airports
along with receiving a recycling fee. Whereas, the existence of waste management in India and China in
context of railways are still scant and significant development in case of airports in recent past. AHP
analysis was done to find the affecting factor in the Indian public modes of transport in the case study
countries.

Results and Discussion

Transportation: The vehicles which are genrally used in waste collection are: 1) Dumper Placer: Dumper
placer system is developed on LCV, MCV and HCV truck chasis depending upon the container capacity.
The available container capacities are 7 cum, 5 cum, 4.5 cum, 3.5 cum, 2.5 cum and 1.5 cum. It has many
advantages such as high productivity, easy operation, low maintenance and flexible method of handing. 2)
Hydraulic Compactor vehicle: The packer consists of a body mounted tailgate on a chassis with
compression mechanism, an ejection plate inside the body, the hydraulic installation and control mechanism.
These vehicles compacted waste from an initial low density to higher density. Hydraulic compactor vehicles

Proceedings of the International Conference on Solid Wastes 2015: Knowledge Transfer for Sustainable
176 Resource Management, Hong Kong SAR, P.R. China, 19 23 May 2015
are of two types: the hydraulically operated pressure plate type and the mechanically driven screw impeller
type. The cost of these vehicles is 2 to 3 times that of common open body trucks. The vehicles are available
in 7 cum, 10 cum, 15 cum and 24 cum capacities. 3) Tipper: These trucks are available in various sizes from
3 to 7 tonnes capacities. The main disadvantage of Tipper vehicle is the spilling of waste due to uncovered
trolley. The transportation of waste from collection yard to disposal point should be so managed as to ensure
the availability of the vehicles in the adequate numbers and in such a condition which will result in their
most efficient and cost-effective utilization. Cost per ton per km in India for Hydraulic Lifter & Compactor,
Dumper Placer and Tipper are Rs. 7.29, 5.43 and 5.06 respectively[1].
Solid Waste (SW) Supply chain in Airports : The supply chain of SW for airports is very similar in China
and India. All the UK airports, have stronger supply chain of waste management. They closely monitor the
target to achieve zero landfill. The escalating landfill tax which is due to increase to £72 per tonne by
2015.[2]. In UK airports after collection of wastes, sorting is done.

The maximum possible waste is treated by on site composting and on site reuse facility. Rest of the wastes
is sent for different waste treatment and disposal facilities located off airport. Each of the UK airports has
documented sustainability report mentioning their SWM performance. Contract Policy in the airports in UK
have contract with single Waste Management companies to handle all the wastes produced in the airport.
There are different companies for handling different kinds of wastes. In China and India generally single
private companies are given contract for the waste management of all types of wastes. Segregation of wastes
takes place in UK airports. The main aim is to reduce the wastes generated per person. In UK the airports
give encouragement to increase the use of existing recycling collection services through communication,
training and appropriate incentives. Annually set recycling targets for our cleaning and waste contractors.
Regularly review local recycling waste treatment infrastructure and our collection services to ensure new
recycling and recovery opportunities are identified. Undertake an assessment of our component waste
streams to identify further opportunities for increasing recycling.

Proceedings of the International Conference on Solid Wastes 2015: Knowledge Transfer for Sustainable 177
Resource Management, Hong Kong SAR, P.R. China, 19 23 May 2015
In India and China the detail documentation of the wastes handled needs to be done. Government of Indian
and China needs to draft regulations for wastes handling and recycling. India and China needs to learn a lot
from the UK airports in waste management.
Supply chain of SWM in Trains: The supply chain of Solid Waste Management (SWM) for trains is very
similar in China and UK. In UK and China the SWM companies have contract to handle the wastes in a
terminal. The wastes are collected and taken away by companies logistics to their respective treatment
facility. The supply chain of waste management in India is quiet different. It is shown in Figure 5. It shows
the involvement of both government and private firm in the solid waste management.
Contract Policy in short distance trains consuming eatables are not allowed
but in long distance trains eatables can be consumed. The waste generated
are collected to the collection center.
The nature of waste in railway is different from municipal area. The
floating population are the travellers from different parts of the country.
The stable population includes traders, vendors, hawkers, potters and
police etc. The packed food and on-platform stalls contribute to the waste.
The railways stations run short in space. There is vulnerability of vector
diseases as the railways connect throughout the country. Source:
Passengers, Hawkers, Vendors, dust bins, railway yards. The tracks are
negligibly polluted in China and UK. Trains and office, service areas,
shops and commercial establishment contribute in a similar fashion in all
the three countries. Typical platform wastes in India has 314kg/day
approx. of waste to handle [3].
Wastes from platform, tracks, offices and service area are collected by
hand by contract workers from bins and platforms. It is then dumped for
segregation behind workers rest room. It is then segregated and store in
Fig.5. Supply Chain of sacks for segregation. Wastes from Rail yards are dumped near incinerator
Wastes in Indian railways for segregation. The segregated product is fed into incinerator and rest
which could not be burnt is generally carried away by the workers. The
dustbins are cleared and cleaned by safai karmachari. Since, no separate dustbins are kept for degradable
and non degradable waste at railway stations, the solid waste at the first collection point is not segregated,
and however, it will be appropriate to segregate the solid waste at this point. An informal system also
actively involved in the waste picking at railway stations in addition to formal system. The railways waste
management in UK and China are very similar. The private companies are given contract to manage the
wastes that is being generated at the railway station.

Figure 6. AHP analysis when pictorially plotted on graph shows the Waste Management issues

Proceedings of the International Conference on Solid Wastes 2015: Knowledge Transfer for Sustainable
178 Resource Management, Hong Kong SAR, P.R. China, 19 23 May 2015
 Conclusions
The study shows that in UK the waste generated by the public modes of transports (railways and airways)
is managed very efficiently and effectively with strict clear defined rules and legislations being present to
strategically handle the waste in public vehicles. The existence of waste management in India and China in
context of railways is still scant and significant development in case of airports in recent past. From AHP
analysis, it was found that the main factor affecting the Indian public modes of transport was customer
intervention, unawareness while in China lacks in having clear defined rules and regulations. The UK waste
management is very developed and it struggles to maintain the environmental pollution control. These lead
to unsustainable waste treatment routes in public transport sectors. The suggestions can be taken from the
sustainable practices being done in UK to overcome the issues and challenges faced in India and China.

Acknowledgement
UKIERI p Waste to-energy

References
[1] http://www.maniar.com/Dumper_Placer.html
[2]
[3] EMP Report of Dibang Multipurpose Project Solid Waste Management and Sanitation Facilities

Proceedings of the International Conference on Solid Wastes 2015: Knowledge Transfer for Sustainable 179
Resource Management, Hong Kong SAR, P.R. China, 19 23 May 2015

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