Zero Waste & Circular economy Initiative in School: Case Study in High Schools in India

The availability of clean water, sanitation, sustainable production, and consumption are the focuses in SDGs 6 & 12. India generates 170,000 metric tons of urban municipal solid waste (MSW) per day as of 2024 as per the report of the Central Pollution Control Board. Kolkata is one of the largest and oldest metropolitan cities of eastern India. The city generates around 4000 tonnes of MSW per day as per the municipal corporation data. The mission" Catch them young: Zero waste and circular economy in Campus" has been conceptualized by Prof Sadhan Kumar Ghosh, mentor of the mission under International Society of Waste Management, Air & Water (ISWMAW). The objective of this mission is to bring a radical change in the behavioural pattern of the students for better waste management from the beginning of childhood. This study observes the paradigm shift in waste management taking place slowly in the culture among the students, teachers & staffs. The processes involved in the mission for practice are: Awareness generation, day-to-day practice of waste segregation, biodegradable wastes used for composting in Micro Composting Plant (MCP), clean & useful dry waste are used by students to make handcrafted recycled products and the rests are sold to waste collectors. The management of the system is monitored by the waste management class monitor under the supervision of teachers' group bringing multi fold benefits for the school as well for the society and the environment. The mission is unique in nature in the world for achieving sustainable environment.