Solid waste production is accelerating due to rapid population growth, flourishing urbanization, a consumption-driven society, and rising living standards, especially in developing countries. This increase in solid waste indicates misallocated resources which have become one of the global environmental issues. About 11 billion tons per year of solid waste generating globally. But still, the Waste management system has not received attention as other sectors have achieved.  Recently, people have realized that one of the approaches, Zero Waste, could address these concerns.

Zero waste is a philosophy that encourages redesigning a resource's lifecycle so that all products are recycled, resulting in no trash to dump in landfills. Circular flow of resource was found in the Zero Waste approach, which means the same resource is used, again and again. Hence, no material is wasted. Any material at its end of life is reused, repaired, sold, or redistributed. If these are not possible, then these materials are recycled or reduced. In short, the concept of zero waste includes reducing, reusing, redesigning, recycling, repairing, remanufacturing, reselling, zero landfills.

What is a normal pathway of resource?

What is the circular pathway of the zero waste resource?

What are the benefits for implementing the zero waste philosophy?

To explain the benefits of zero waste approach, initially the variables were mapped into four dimensions. They were: (I) Benefits to the community; (II) Economic and Financial benefits; (III) Environmental benefits and (IV) Benefits for industries and their stakeholders. Benefits to community as in minimizing the risk to public health, and offers job opportunities to general people by recycling, upcycling and by establishing waste collection and separation cooperatives. Economic and Financial benefits: reduction of cost for waste management as less amount of waste is produced, accelerated profit from the sales of recycled materials. Benefits to environment as lesser waste is generated, extended life of sanitary landfills, reduction of energy consumption, efficient utilization of raw materials, reduction in use of toxic materials in the products. Benefits to the industries and stakeholder by producing long lasting products, customer satisfaction and increased reliability, Improved efficiency and productivity.

 What are the challenges in implementing zero waste Philosophy?

1. This approach requires mandatory waste management guidelines and policy.

2. Change in consumption pattern and behavior of citizen. A huge proportion of population are not desiring this change. As a result, it requires certain time to adopt the new strategies.

3.  Lack of technical knowledge, proactivity and leadership of the professionals involved.

4. Feasibility of recycling and the repair of products

5.  Understanding of the entire life cycle of the products.

6. Perception of high cost for implementation

7.Hard to discover alternative zero waste products