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Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution. Vol. 22, No. 1 (2025), pp. 22-32.
doi: 10.36922/ajwep.7337

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

A comprehensive study on municipal solid waste
management practices in Jamshedpur City, India

Ravikant Dubey , Deepak Rathore , Amrita Dwivedi * , and
1
1
1
Prabhat Kumar Singh 2
1 Department of Humanistic Studies, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi, India
2 Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi, India
*Corresponding author: Amrita Dwivedi (amrita.hss@iitbhu.ac.in)

Received: December 11, 2024; Revised: February 17, 2025; Accepted: February 20, 2025; Published Online: March 5, 2025

Abstract: In developing nations such as India, managing municipal solid waste (MSW) presents a substantial
challenge, with around 90% of MSW disposed of in open dumps and unregulated landfills. This improper waste
disposal poses serious health risks to nearby communities. This study delves into MSW’s characteristics, separation,
collection, transportation, and disposal techniques in Jamshedpur, India. Information was gathered through personal
visits, interviews, and official records from the Municipal Corporation and Jamshedpur Utility Service Company
Pvt. Ltd., currently known as Tata Steel Utilities and Infrastructure Services Limited (TSUISL), a subsidiary of
Tata Enterprise. TSUISL manages municipal services and efficiently handles waste management tasks such as
collection, storage, transportation, and processing. Techniques such as composting and bio-methanation convert
waste into valuable resources, reducing landfill pressure. This study aims to understand the MSW management
framework implemented by TSUISL and provide practical recommendations to enhance the city’s existing waste
management system.
Keywords: Tata Steel Utilities and Infrastructure Services Limited; Municipal solid waste; Municipal solid waste
management; Treatment; Organic waste

1. Introduction glass, metal, cans, garden clippings, and other materials.
The composition of MSW can vary depending on
Solid waste encompasses many materials, including various factors, such as the type of area (residential
solid, liquid, semi-solid, and even gaseous substances. or commercial), cultural practices, and the economic
Solid waste comprises several kinds of waste products, status of the nation (ranging from low-income to high-
including trash, wastewater treatment plant refuse- income states). The waste produced by higher-income
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sludge, and other matters thrown away. Various human individuals tends to be more diverse and intricate due
activities produce solid waste, including mining, to their elevated living standards and evolving dietary
agriculture, urbanization, industry, and commerce. preferences. Studies have shown that higher income
Residential houses, institutional buildings, and levels correlate with increased waste production, with
commercial establishments produce municipal solid metropolitan areas generating more waste than smaller
waste (MSW). Households often dispose of a wide towns. The rapid growth of urban populations puts
2
range of items, including food waste, paper, plastic, a strain on the current infrastructure, necessitating

Volume 22 Issue 1 (2025) 22 doi: 10.36922/ajwep.7337