Waste is often seen as a problem, but science has transformed it into one of the world’s greatest business opportunities. Every day, thousands of tonnes of municipal, commercial, agricultural and industrial waste are generated across India, including Jammu & Kashmir. Much of this waste is dumped in open landfills, causing pollution, unpleasant odours, health hazards and environmental degradation. However, with modern waste recycling technologies, this same waste can be converted into valuable products, creating employment, generating income and protecting the environment.

Waste recycling is not merely a sanitation activity; it is a scientific process that converts discarded materials into useful products through segregation, processing and value addition. Countries such as Germany, Japan, Sweden and South Korea have demonstrated that recycling can become a major contributor to economic growth. India is also moving steadily in this direction, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs, startups and unemployed youth.

For Jammu & Kashmir, scientific waste management is not only an environmental necessity but also an economic opportunity. A striking example is the Achan landfill on Eidgah–Ali Jan Road in Srinagar, where a large portion of the city’s municipal waste is dumped. Over the years, the accumulation of untreated waste has created serious environmental concerns. Particularly worrying is its proximity to the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), one of the premier healthcare institutions of Jammu & Kashmir. The unpleasant smell from the landfill is often reported to reach areas around the hospital, creating an unhealthy environment near a centre dedicated to patient care. This situation deserves immediate scientific attention. Instead of depending mainly on dumping waste, the site should be scientifically evaluated by experts in waste management, environmental engineering, public health and urban planning. The Government could constitute a multidisciplinary committee to study the issue and prepare a comprehensive roadmap based on modern technologies such as waste segregation at source, recycling plants, composting, biomethanation, scientific landfill management and resource recovery. Solving the........

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