THANE: City-based non-government organisations (NGOs) have tie-ups with 12 educational institutions from Thane associated with Prarambh, a zero-waste movement.After NGO R-Nisarg initiated this movement along with Smt. Sulochanadevi Singhania School last November to make every educational institution waste-free, 12 such institutions have signed up for this campaign so far.Over the past three months, these institutions, including S P Dnyanasadhana College, Carmel High School, Shreerang Vidyalay, Sri Ma High School, Narayana School, Saraswati High School and M H High School have not only been spreading awareness about this initiative amongst their students and staff, but also chalking out their waste management plan.As academicians and trustees have begun studying various forms of composting methods best suited to manage the wet waste in their schools, R-Nisarg is tying up with organisations dealing with scientific waste disposal systems to help schools get rid of waste in an environmentally-conscious way.Speaking about these linkages, Dr Lata Ghanshamnani, founder of the group, said, “We are linking schools with non-profit institutions, that will help them manage their dry waste, e-waste, biomedical waste and Multi Layered Plastic (MLP) waste properly.” While one group will give these schools green points in exchange of dry waste they will recycle, another agency will collect and dispose bio-waste.“Similarly, one agency will help manage e-waste, while the non-degradable and non-recyclable multi-layered packaging waste, which comprises chips wrappers with the silver lining inside, will be collected by another. The MLP waste will then be used in cement kilns as fuel,” she added.These environmentalists believe that as the school authorities have begun the zero waste or ‘follow the monkey’ project with their teachers, the drive should be in full swing by May.“Right now the teachers and staffers have been understanding the definitions of the different types of waste, and the segregation drives will be taken up by them at first so they are fully aware of the system once the students are roped in by May. The reject and dry waste collection agencies will visit each school and transport it to their facilities thereafter,” added Dr Ghanshamnani.Enviro Vigil’s V Walavalkar, said, “We have been collecting and disposing the biomedical waste of all registered waste producers over the years and are thrilled that schools will be taking this up as well. As every school has a medical dispensary this waste is bound to exist here. Once these schools are officially declared to be bio-medical waste producers, we will collect this waste frequently and discard it scientifically.”Right now the teachers and staffers are understanding definitions of the different types of waste, and segregation drives will be taken up by them at first so they are fully aware of the system once the students are roped in by May

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