Residents of Brigade Meadows, a large residential complex on Kanakapura Road in south Bengaluru, have successfully tackled a persistent garbage problem by renovating and upgrading their defunct organic waste converter (OWC). This significant move now enables the society to process its entire daily output of wet food waste within its own 27-acre campus, marking a major leap towards self-reliance and sustainable urban living.
From Breakdown to Breakthrough: The Waste Management Revamp
The journey to a cleaner complex was not straightforward. The original waste management system, installed back in 2015, had become completely non-functional by 2019. The failure was attributed to multiple issues: cracks in the composting pits, inadequate waste segregation by residents, and contamination from plastic. This breakdown forced the apartment owners' association to depend on external vendors and local panchayat collection services, which led to frequent and serious complaints about garbage piling up and foul smells permeating the area.
The turning point arrived during the association's last general body meeting, where residents gave their unanimous approval for a complete overhaul of the OWC system. Following this decision, an in-house focus committee was formed to spearhead the project. This committee diligently identified the shortcomings of the old setup, visited other apartment complexes to learn best practices, and consulted with experts to design a robust and cost-effective solution.
Specs and Scale: How the New System Works
The newly upgraded organic waste converter is a technological step up, designed to handle the substantial waste generated by the complex's 1,876 flats. Its core is a dewatering and shredding machine capable of processing up to 250kg of food waste every hour. The machine performs two critical functions: shredding the waste and removing 70-80% of its moisture before it enters the composting stage. This process alone reduces the overall waste volume by nearly half and cuts down associated odours by approximately 80%.
The actual composting takes place in five dedicated pits, each with a capacity of around four tonnes. From the daily wet waste input, the system is expected to produce a compost yield of about 30%. The complex generates roughly 750kg of wet food waste daily, a number that sees an uptick during weekends and festival seasons.
Transforming Waste into a Green Resource
The high-quality compost produced will not go to waste. It is primarily destined for use across the nearly 10 acres of garden space within the Brigade Meadows campus. Any surplus compost generated will be sold through partnerships with local nurseries, creating a potential circular economy model. The project, funded with approximately Rs 15–20 lakh from the association's maintenance corpus, received technical support from Pelican Kenterra Waste Management Solutions and the Bangalore Apartments Federation.
Recognizing that technology alone isn't enough, the association launched extensive awareness campaigns to ensure the system's success. These initiatives promote proper three-way segregation and the adoption of the two-bin-one-bag system among all residents. The goal is clear: to ensure the complex does not contribute to the city's garbage hotspots while significantly improving internal hygiene, sustainability, and self-sufficiency.
Shreeramam Bhat, an executive committee member, highlighted the necessity of the project, stating that relying on external vendors was unsustainable given the scale of waste generated. Kiran Hebbar, treasurer of the Bangalore Apartments' Federation, summed up the achievement, remarking that by revamping the OWC, the community is effectively transforming waste into a valuable resource and taking a definitive step towards a greener future.
