Green experts move Election Commission of India for SOP on election waste disposal

Kolkata: Green experts will place a memorandum before the Election Commission seeking a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the collection and disposal of election-related waste, including mandatory post-campaign clean-up by candidates and political parties.

A study by the International Society of Waste Management, Air and Water (ISWMAW) estimates that West Bengal’s ongoing Assembly election campaign could generate 15,362 tonnes of additional solid waste.

“The surge in campaign waste — banners, plastic, food packaging, posters, tyres and rally debris — will burden already fragile waste management systems in Kolkata, Howrah, Siliguri and other urban local bodies. No political party has offered a concrete plan,” said Sadhan Kumar Ghosh, former Jadavpur University professor and ISWMAW head.

The study estimates around 10 tonnes of banners per constituency, totalling 2,940 tonnes across 294 constituencies, and about 2,352 tonnes from disposable cups and plates used during campaigning.

The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, effective April 1, mandate stricter segregation, digital tracking and environmental penalties.

The study suggests dedicated waste collection teams for rallies, GPS tracking of waste vehicles and strict penalties for littering and burning. Ghosh also called for heavy fines on parties involved in tyre and open waste burning, citing hazardous greenhouse gas emissions harmful to humans and animals,

especially children. It further urges long-term solutions such as waste-to-energy plants, bio-methanation, composting and decentralised dry waste recovery systems.

“A cleaner electoral process can become the foundation of a cleaner West Bengal,” he said.