Bhubaneswar, June 28: The civic body has initiated a process to assist bulk waste generators in ensuring source segregation and disposal of municipal waste.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has already identified more than 100 bulk waste generators in the city and will begin the process of providing composting machines to them.

The generators would be required to install the machines and convert organic materials into bio-composts, which would then be sold to fertiliser dealers for use in farmlands.

Composting is a controlled process of natural conversion of organic materials into compost. Officials said composting is simply a combination of grass clippings and fallen leaves, fruit and vegetable spoils, separated from the waste stream and placed into an environment suitable for decomposition through a machine.

"The Union ministry of urban development has asked us to identify bulk waste generators and provide them with the composting machines as well as to train them on its use. We have already identified the generators and served notices to them asking them ensure disposal of their waste at their own yard," said mayor Ananta Narayan Jena.

Jena said the machines would be procured directly from the e-market place of the Swachh Bharat Mission. "The generators will pay for the machines and recover the amount by selling compost to the authorised fertilizer company. We will sensitise waste generators on the composting process. It will benefit them and the environment," Jena said.

In January, the civic body identified 179 bulk waste generators, which generated more than 100kg of waste of all types daily. These include 83 apartments, 13 educational institutes, 16 hospitals, 34 hotels, 22 markets, eight restaurants, one hostel and two temples.

The aim of identifying waste generators is to lessen the burden on the municipal corporation and the dumping yard. Sources said if the generators began source segregation and disposal, the burden on the existing dumping yard would lessen by more than 20,000kg per day.

Environmentalists also welcomed the move to provide the composting machines to the bulk waste generators to create compost. "Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of organic waste go unused because it is not converted into compost. If utilised properly, it would help save the environment and generate revenue as well," said environmentalist Alok Mohanty.

Besides encouraging creation of compost at the source, the civic body is also in the process of constructing a waste-to-compost plant at its designated dumping yard.