Technology-driven Tokyo model, externalised New York waste management and Barcelona’s hybrid model were in focus on Saturday as the Municipal Corporation Delhi (MCD) discussed the waste management system in the Capital with World Bank experts at a key meeting.Amid a race to meet deadlines to clear legacy waste piled up over decades at landfills in the Capital, the discussions pivoted around suggestions for informal sector worker integration, utility tariffs rollout and emissions control, said officials.The meeting was chaired by MCD Commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar. Officials said that the discussion culminated in a proposed approach for Delhi with the stated objective to “improve MCD’s operational efficiency, establish financial sustainability and reduce atmospheric emissions”. This was followed by presentations by the World Bank team on waste management models being followed in major global cities.Adopting global best practicesIn an official statement, MCD said, “The presentation highlighted that Tokyo has developed an extensive waste processing system with 23 Waste-to-Energy facilities, where a major portion of municipal waste is scientifically processed.”It added, “The experts also presented the externalised waste management model of New York, where private agencies are engaged for transportation and processing of waste, including its movement to facilities outside the city. Under Barcelona’s Zero Waste Plan 2021–2027, the city is moving towards decentralised waste management facilities to reduce pressure on transportation systems and large centralised processing plants. The model also encourages behavioural change among citizens.”Also Read | Delhi welcomes monsoon rain, but landfill cleanup, waste recycling affectedAt the meeting, Khirwar, as per the statement, spoke about “the importance of adopting suitable global best practices according to Delhi’s local requirements and conditions”.The Capital, he said, requires “a time-bound,comprehensive and sustainable waste management strategy covering efficient collection, transportation, processing, scientific disposal and maximum recovery of resources from waste.”Story continues below this adThree-pronged approachThe proposed approach for Delhi centres on three components — decentralised processing and transport; development of a sustainable waste treatment mix; and institutional strengthening.Many of the propositions, however, already exist on paper, including, legacy biomining to develop a “sustainable waste treatment mix”. This is part of the MCD’s current plan to clear the Okhla and Bhalswa landfills with a proposed deadline of December this year, and the Ghazipur landfill by December next year.The march towards this deadline has been slowed down by heavy rainfall over the last month, while fresh waste continues to pile up.According to the civic body’s dashboard, over the last three days, an average of 787 (tonnes per day) TPD of waste was lifted at Bhalswa, 575 TPD at Okhla and 3,382 TPD at Ghazipur. However, during the same period, an average of 4,243 TPD, 2,115 TPD, and 2,541 TPD had been dumped in these landfills, respectively.Story continues below this adMeanwhile, other recommendations at the meeting included “ward-level processing” ; recyclables and organics are processed at the source itself to prevent open dumping or burning, which is already encouraged under the existing Solid Waste Management Rules 2026. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines released in June instructs that municipal solid waste first undergoes ‘manual and mechanical segregation’ at the Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) before being sent to landfills.The implementation, however, has gaps. An MCD official said that they sometimes receive mixed waste at the landfill sites which has to then be segregated.Among other newer approaches suggested are formal integration of informal waste pickers, including comprehensive formal contracting and occupational-health integration. A version of another recommendation on utility tariffs—to levy user charges for solid waste management along with property tax — was rolled out last year by the MCD but later put on hold because of public opposition.Enforcement protocol and penalties for open-burning were included in the previous year’s winter action-plan but a digital open burning reporting system is yet to be introduced as recommended by the experts.