Cross Hairs

Simply put: More plastic waste is now making its way to Southeast Asia

Childhood lost among heaps of hazardous waste

Women’s empowerment and environmental restoration: Sundargarh’s sustainable evolution shows the way

Ground-breaking solid waste management programme ‘Aama Sundargarh Swachh Sundargarh’ benefitted 1,602,916 individuals, 363,676 households

Sanitation will remain a mirage even after India stops defecating in the open

Although we will meet the target of an open defecation free India much before deadline, it is still the easiest milestone that we have crossed. …

Zero draft of global plastic pollution treaty: What are the hits & misses

Negotiating and agreeing upon a strong, legally binding instrument seems difficult, as many members’ priority lies in economic interests …

What is the global treaty on plastic pollution?

This treaty will serve as a framework for an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop a legally binding agreement mandating countries …

Rare earth metals are used extensively in clean energy technologies. But how safe are they?

Mining and disposal of these elements add to the environmental damages and ecological burden 

Faecal sludge and septage management key for a clean Ganga

There is also a need to address the issue of greywater — the water from bathroom and kitchen — which continues to pollute water …

India needs a strategic direction on single-use plastics

There’s requirement of Mechanisms that will not only improve eco-consciousness among citizens but will also empower and encourage …

‘World’s first e-waste microfactory will create a ripple effect on jobs, especially for local communities’

Prof Veena Sahajwalla, the Indian-origin scientist who launched the world’s first microfactory for e-waste, talks to Down To Earth about …

Litter-free Tirunelveli

Litter-free Tirunelveli is a movement started by this city in Tamil Nadu to encourage segregation of waste at source. Find out how the city is …

Two years left and the blind chase of toilets continues

Although Guna district in Madhya Pradesh spent almost all its money for toilet construction, people were still defecating in the open 

India is the graveyard of community-led total sanitation: Kamal Kar

Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) is an innovative methodology for mobilising communities to completely eliminate open defecation. …

TrustBin: compost kitchen waste in easy steps

TrustBin is an eco-friendly, indoor kitchen-waste composter. It uses Japanese technology for composting that does not produce foul smell. It is …

Bhalswa landfill up in flames

The recent fire at North Delhi's Bhalswa landfill has been at the centre of a political controversy. A look at the situation on-ground

Hazardous delay

Environment ministry submits unclear status report on hazardous waste directives

NGT judgement on Okhla waste plant: no lessons learned

National Green Tribunal has, once again, made clear that it advocates a centralised system for waste processing which may not serve a long-term …

Plastic conundrum

Junking plastic

Proposal to clamp down on plastic carrybags and wrappers in Tamil Nadu

Dumped, duped

What's happening inside disposal units?

In 2024, India to be among top 4 contributors of microplastics released into waterbodies

After China, India will release highest volume of microplastics & chemical additives into waterways  

Eritrea fares worst in the world in plastic waste management, shows Plastic Overshoot Day report

Around 97% of plastic waste created in Eritrea is mismanaged

Dumping ground