Assessment of Current Waste Management Practices, Illegal Dump Site Occurrence, and Solid Waste Composition in East Zone of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore: A Geospatial Perspective

Abstract

Rapid urbanization in Bangalore has led to increasing challenges in managing Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), particularly in East Zone of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore. This study presents an assessment of current Solid Waste Management (SWM) practices, the occurrence of illegal dump sites, and the physical and chemical composition of solid waste at selected illegal dump sites. The illegal waste dumping in unauthorized locations has become a critical issue in BMMP, affecting both public health and environmental sustainability. Ten illegal dump sites were identified through systematic field survey and mapped using Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geo Informatics System (GIS) tools. This spatial analysis revealed dumping usually occurs in areas with poor waste collection infrastructure, high population density, and mixed land use patterns. Waste samples were collected from each selected site and subjected to both physical segregation and chemical analysis. Physical characterization revealed that organic waste was the dominant fraction, followed by plastic and glass waste. Chemical analysis showed an acidic pH of 4.59, a moisture content of 69.3% and a calorific value of 2900 cal/g, suggesting limited potential for energy recovery. Total volatile solids were recorded at 83.8%, indicating high proportion of decomposable organic material. The findings suggest that composting is suitable for organic waste due to its high moisture content and volatile solids. The assessment of BBMP’s current waste management practices revealed several gaps in the enforcement of segregation rules, irregular door-to –door collection, and insufficient monitoring of illegal dumping. The study recommends the use of GIS-based surveillance tools, strengthening decentralized waste processing, and periodic monitoring of waste composition for effective policy formulation. This research provides essential insights to support scientific, data-driven planning for sustainable waste management in urban Bangalore.