Bengaluru Flags 80 Illegal Dry Waste Centres, Announces Fresh Tenders for 118 Units to Streamline Waste Management

Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) has identified more than 80 illegal Dry Waste Collection Centres (DWCCs) operating across the city, even though their contracts expired in 2020. The agency has raised concerns that these centres are bypassing scientific waste processing requirements, undermining the city’s waste management system, and contributing to increasing landfill pressure. BSWML has now announced that it will open fresh tenders for 118 new DWCC units within the next week.

According to BSWML Managing Director Karee Gowda, the new tenders will invite participation from waste pickers, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), contractors, and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), enabling a more transparent and sustainable waste collection framework. “There are 118 Dry Waste Collection Centers that will be up for tenders. Once this process is complete, segregation and collection will greatly improve,” Gowda said. He added that the earlier contracts were managed by agencies under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for a three-year term starting in 2020. However, after the contracts lapsed, several of these agencies continued operations without authorization.

The lapse in regulation has already led to disruptions. At least 20 DWCCs have reportedly shut down, pushing residents to mix dry waste with household garbage. This has increased the load on dump sites and hindered segregation efforts. “Despite the lapse, agencies continued running the centres. Such operations are illegal, and hence, new tenders have been called to restore order,” Gowda said.

Also Read: PM Modi to Inaugurate Mega R&D Fund at Landmark Science Conclave Tomorrow

Officials also highlighted that 22 centres across Greater Bengaluru Area (GBA) have already been renovated with improved technology and upgraded machinery, including conveyor belts. The enhanced facilities now have the capacity to manage up to four tonnes of waste per day, double the former capacity. Each centre will employ five workers to sort materials like plastic, glass, cardboard, and paper, ensuring that the recyclable waste is directed to relevant plants.

Explaining the process, a senior official said, “From a minimum of 23 to a maximum of 46 categories of items get sorted. Plastics alone are segregated into multiple types. The non-recyclable dry waste such as soiled slippers and old clothes are sent to the Bidadi waste-to-energy plant, where they are incinerated to generate power.” The BSWML believes the new tender process will not only help reclaim control over waste handling but also empower local communities and workers to play a more active role in managing Bengaluru’s growing waste challenge.

Also Read: Nestle Announces 16,000 Job Cuts as New CEO Launches Global Overhaul