Every time you scrape your plate into the dustbin without a second thought, a silent journey begins — one that many of us never see but one that deeply shapes the environment we live in. In cities and towns across India, the simple act of not segregating your kitchen waste spirals into an environmental and human crisis we can no longer ignore.

Let’s follow the journey of your waste — and understand why where it ends up matters more than ever.

The overflowing problem: setting the stage

India generates approximately 62 million tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) annually, with about 50–60 percent comprising biodegradable kitchen waste such as food scraps, peels and leftovers. Despite this, in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, over 70 percent of households dispose of kitchen waste mixed with plastics, glass and other dry waste.

This practice leads to organic waste being sent to massive landfills instead of being composted. Sites like Ghazipur in Delhi, Deonar in Mumbai and Bellahalli in Bengaluru have become towering mountains of trash, some reaching heights equivalent to a 15-storey building. These landfills pose significant environmental and health risks.

The journey of your unsegregated waste

Step 1: Mixed at source

When food scraps........

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