A new four-category waste collection and segregation system has been launched in Mizoram’s capital Aizawl to strengthen solid waste management and improve recycling, officials said.
Under the new system, waste will be classified as wet, dry, sanitary and special-care waste. Wet waste will comprise biodegradable materials, while dry waste will include non-biodegradable and recyclable materials. Sanitary waste will require careful handling, while special-care waste may pose risks to human health and the environment.
The four categories will be collected in separate containers and transported, processed and disposed of separately. Aizawl previously followed a two-category system covering wet and dry waste.
The system was launched at the Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) Auditorium in Thuampui in the presence of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation Minister K Sapdanga and Chief Secretary Khilli Ram Meena. The initiative was introduced in line with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026.
The system has initially been rolled out in seven of Aizawl Municipal Corporation’s 19 wards, with plans for wider implementation.
Sapdanga said cleanliness was an important indicator of development and called for collective participation from residents, community organisations and churches to ensure the initiative’s success.
According to AMC Assistant Architect Veronica Vanlalhriata, the municipal corporation generated 464.395 tonnes of compost from biodegradable waste collected across Aizawl over the past two years. The composting initiative generated more than Rs 26 lakh in revenue, she said.
The four-stream system is expected to improve the handling of different types of waste and strengthen recycling and waste-processing practices in the city.
