The Burgeoning Problem of Trash Mountains Some Solutions and Alternatives

The continuous piling up of trash dumped in landfills worldwide has become a pressing issue today. The rise in population and consumerism has led to a significant increase in the amount of waste being generated. Consequently, a multitude of environmental problems is afflicting the planet. In this article, Ramya Rangnath explores the intricacies of this issue and briefly discusses potential solutions and necessary measures to address it.

- Ramya Rangnath

Trash mountains! What are they? As the name suggests, it is basically a giant pile of rubbish or trash. It is a landfill where waste or garbage is dumped and reaches heights of almost 120 feet or more. This waste that is left to rot and decompose here poses serious hazards. Trash mountains emit poisonous gases such as methane, hydrogen sulphide, and carbon monoxide. India is home to some of the world’s largest trash mountains. Methane, a greenhouse gas emitted from this decomposing waste, is 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. The methane emitted from these landfills is said to contribute almost 15 per cent of India’s total methane emissions.

You would think that with all the investment in climate change and sustainability, this problem is on the road to being resolved. But this is far from the truth. The problem of mounting trash is just getting worse by the day. India has risen to being the most populated country in the world. This population density brings with it a host of other problems, one of them being mounting waste. While waste management has also gained momentum in the country, it is not sufficient to catch up with the rate at which waste is being generated on a daily basis. As a result, more and more garbage is being dumped in landfills, leading to an aggravation of an already existing problem with trash management.

It is evident that we need to act fast and strategically to address the problem with India’s trash mountains. Some steps that can be taken are to improve waste collection and disposal systems, recycling and composting, and using waste to generate energy. The need to solve the problem of India’s trash mountains is pressing since it poses a threat not only to the country, but to the global climate change crisis as well.