The Waste Solutions for Circular Economy Project, aimed at enhancing sustainable waste management, has introduced the Unique Household Numbering System (UHNS) to streamline waste tracking and segregation monitoring. Through UHNS, each household is assigned a unique number, which enables easy tracking of segregated waste from individual households and ensuring better compliance with waste segregation guidelines. This initiative plays a crucial role in achieving the project’s objective of a circular economy by emphasizing sustainability on collection of segregated waste.

A Unique Initiative by BBMP

By integrating UHNS into the waste collection workflow, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) sanitation staff can link the collected waste to specific households. This linkage allows authorities to identify areas with poor segregation practices and take necessary actions. The system not only enhances transparency but also enables effective monitoring and evaluation of waste management practices. Furthermore, UHNS significantly improves operational efficiency by reducing errors and redundancies in waste collection processes while optimizing collection routes and resource allocation, thereby saving time and resources. The UHNS also serves as a motivator for households to adopt and adhere to segregation guidelines.

The project has successfully implemented the Unique Household Numbering System (UHNS) across all eight wards of the Dasarahalli zone in Bengaluru, demonstrating its effectiveness in enhancing waste management practices. This implementation has led to rise in waste segregation levels, showcasing the potential of UHNS to drive accountability and promote sustainable source segregation practices at the community level. With the help of this project initiative, the segregation level of the 8 wards has increased by 10~15 per cent approximately.

The rise in segregation levels has also resulted in furthermore benefits, such as:

Better segregation of wet, dry, and hazardous waste at the source

Optimization of resource recovery processes such as composting and recycling

Reduced contamination of recyclable materials

A few challenges occurred during the implementation of UHNS, and they need to be addressed for the successful adoption of the model

Resource limitation - due to a lack of knowledge about the system of the implementation team (ULB sanitation staff)

Technological barriers - due to low digital literacy among stakeholders and poor internet connectivity in some areas can hinder the effective use of digital tools

Way Forward: Scope and Achievements

The project hence introduced this system to BBMP sanitation staff during capacity-building sessions. These sessions are designed to provide comprehensive training to the staff, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement the Unique Household Numbering System (UHNS). The pilot's success created a scalable framework, paving the way for broader adoption across multiple wards. By empowering ULB sanitation staffs, the initiative may create a sustainable framework, facilitating the Unique Household Numbering System’s replication across cities.

The UHNS can be made more effective by considering the following steps:

ULB sanitation staff should receive more hands-on training to use the system effectively.

Households that comply with these guidelines can be rewarded. #

Chandreyee Mitra is Junior Consultant, GIZ India, Mohammed Idris is Advisor – Climate Change, GIZ India, and Jai Kumar Gaurav is Senior Advisor - Climate Change, GIZ India.The views expressed in this article areauthors’ personal.