Status of Municipal Solid Waste Litter Management in India: Opportunities, Challenges and Environmental Threats

The study presents a comprehensive analysis of the prevailing conditions of municipal solid waste litter (MSWL) management within the Indian context. The article explores the intricate web of challenges (such as increasing population, poor public awareness and policy framework) faced by urban local bodies (ULBs) in the collection, transportation, and disposal of MSWL. It also highlights the concomitant environmental threats such as health hazardous and marine pollution associated with poor MSWL management. This review elucidates the shortcomings in MSWL infrastructure, underscoring issues such as deficient waste segregation practices, inadequate disposal facilities, and the prominence of the informal waste sector. Additionally, it provides a meticulous examination of the environmental ramifications, emphasizing the dissemination of contaminants into the atmosphere, water bodies, and soil, thereby delineating the resultant health implications. Moreover, it also accentuates the significance of public participation and awareness campaigns as catalysts for MSWL reduction and segregation. Finally, the article offers a scientifically grounded resource, catering to the exigencies of policymakers, researchers, and environmentalists. It offers an empirically supported elucidation of the present state of MSWL management in India, complete with a strategic blueprint for addressing extant challenges, leveraging latent opportunities, and attenuating the scientifically substantiated environmental threats arising from MSWL.