What is ESG Reporting and Why Does It Matter for Businesses in India?
Understand what ESG reporting is, why ESG reporting in India matters, key reporting standards, and how businesses can build long-term sustainability
If you’ve ever talked about waste management with friends, colleagues, or even clients, you’ve probably heard a few of these gems:
“Just compost it, it’ll disappear!” “All recycling goes to the landfill anyway.” “Composting? Oh, that’s just for gardeners.”
Let’s clear the air because these myths are not just wrong, they’re holding back sustainability big time. And yes, I’ve seen both hilarious and disastrous case studies to prove it.
Myth 1: “Composting is only for garden waste.”
Reality:
Nope. Composting can handle way more than leaves and grass. Food scraps, coffee grounds, landscape waste, animal manure… even some types of biodegradable packaging.
When it goes wrong:
A community once tried composting food waste in tiny garden bins. Result: Smells – Pests- Chaos- Abandoned bins. Why? Because they used the wrong method for the wrong type of waste.
When it went right:
A hotel group switched to proper in-vessel composters. No smell, no mess, and suddenly 60–70% of their waste was turning into fresh compost for landscaping. Magic? No, just matching the right tech to the right waste.
Myth 2: “If we sort it, it will get recycled.”
Reality:
Only if it’s done right. Clean, uncontaminated, and supported by actual recyclers who want the material.
The messy situation:
A mall proudly announced its “Zero Waste Initiative.” Reality check: Nearly 40% of its recyclables were rejected. Why? Food. Liquid. Chewing gum. Everything-but-recyclables stuck to recyclables.
What worked:
Another office implemented color-coded bins, simple icons (not long text), and designated “floor champions.” Recycling recovery went from 28% → 76%. Turns out, humans just need clear instructions.
Myth 3: “Composting & recycling are easy. Just do it”
Reality:
They are systems not magic tricks.
When optimism meets real life…
A facility bought a fancy composting machine, plugged it in, and thought- “Great, it will handle everything for us” Fast-forward: overloaded machine, bad odors, technical breakdowns, eventually abandoned.
Winning recipe…
A development hired a waste officer, added simple digital logs. Machine downtime dropped by 90%. Segregation improved everywhere.
Myth 4: “If we compost and recycle, we are already sustainable”
Reality:
Reduction > Recycling > Composting
Sustainability isn’t just about managing waste. It’s about creating less of it.
Real example:
Reusable mugs, refill stations, bulk dispensers will drop the total waste, without installing a single new waste-treatment machine. Sometimes the most sustainable solution is simply not generating waste.
So, what’s the takeaway?
To make composting and recycling actually work, we need-
Proper segregation-The right-fit composting tech.- Contamination-free recycling- Continuous monitoring and training, and most important, behavior change not just bins and tech.
If you’re exploring or struggling with waste solutions in your organization or project, happy to exchange insights.
Swati Makkar
#sustainability #waste #composting #recycling #circulareconomy #consulting #sustainable #greenbuilding #myths
