PMC officials stated the unit could treat 4–4.5 tonnes of sanitary waste daily. India’s sanitary waste disposal problem is growing because disposable sanitary napkins of non-biodegradable plastic pose health and environmental risks. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) would be the first civic authority to treat sanitary waste in August.
Rochem Separations Systems Pvt Ltd, Hadapsar, has a sanitary waste processing unit. Procter and Gamble Company built the apartment on PMC land for free. PMC officials stated the unit could treat 4–4.5 tonnes of sanitary waste daily.
Tri-party agreement. The private corporation will run the plant for three years under the arrangement. After three years, private players will receive a seven-year extension based on plant performance. PMC officials said the local authority will provide water and energy for the facility during the extension.
The city produces four tonnes of sanitary trash, including diapers and napkins. The Solid Garbage Management (SWM) Rules 2016 classify soiled napkins, diapers, condoms, and tampons as household garbage, requiring segregation into biodegradable and non-biodegradable components before disposal.
The test project starts next week. The PMC prioritized city sanitary waste management due to the growing availability, use, and waste load of non-biodegradable menstruation products and the lack of disposal systems, according to Asha Raut, deputy municipal commissioner and head of PMC.
Since 2017, the PMC’s “Red Dot” campaign has separated sanitary waste. Solid waste department volunteers and staff ask individuals to securely wrap their sanitary waste in a newspaper and mark it with a red dot. PMC has mini sanitary pad incinerators. Incinerators dispose of 600 to 700 kilograms of sanitary waste, while PMC processes 3.5 tonnes of dry trash.
