A Sustainable Future for Navi Mumbai through Informal Waste Management

Abstract

In India, informal waste management (IWM) within slums stands at the intersection of informal economy and circular economy. Collecting and processing hundreds of tonnes of municipal solid waste per day, this industry supports the millions of people engaged in this business and provides ecological and economic contributions to Indian cities. However, IWM is currently faced with the problems of internal vulnerability from slums and external threats from cities. The current situation of Indian slums does not correspond to the aspirations of dwellers and workers for a better living and working environment, nor the expectations of cities for a better urban image and development prospects. Over the last few decades, many slum redevelopment schemes have attempted to change this situation, yet their entire focus on resettlement strategies has left no space for IWM as well as other informal businesses. As ecosystems buzzing with activities, slums cannot simply be replaced by neat low-income housing estates unless they allow for the flourishing of many dynamic economic and social activities and new trajectories of resource use that contribute to sustainable livelihoods. The aim of the research is to explore a new direction for future slum development, which entails a synthesis of economic, environmental and social sustainability. The design result will allow informal waste management to operate in synergy with other economic sectors in a spontaneous socio-economic cluster to promote sustainable livelihoods for slum dwellers and sustainable development for Navi Mumbai.