Glimpse into waste management of Auroville

Waste management specialist and Auroville resident, French national, Aurokali Borg

Waste segmentation in Auroville

Auroville is a one of a kind universal township in Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu in India. It was created through a decision in 1964 by the Sri Aurobindo Society to form a holistic global space where harmony, spirituality and sustainability reign, nourishing the collective good.

Auroville, referred to as the City of Dawn steadfastly upholds the belief that each human is a transitional being and thereby aids the evolution of man to his highest self.

Conceptualised for 50,000 inhabitants from around the world Auroville celebrates world peace and seeks to be an example in protecting the earth, striving for genuine sustainability.

It has a Green Belt consisting of forested areas, farms and nature sanctuaries, attracting earth protectors from around the world to contribute their expertise. Auroville has an Eco Service team that collects waste from households, communities, guest houses, restaurants and units, while another team processes it at a sorting shed in Kottakarai. Waste is then either sold to recycling dealers, or landfilled at the Auroville landfill.

Today our international guest to our Harmony Page is French national Aurokali Borg who is an international solid waste consultant and a life-long resident at Auroville, having been born there. She was in Sri Lanka last week for a brief visit to meet up with the southern family who cared for her when she was in the country during the COVID-19 lockdown.

By Surya Vishwa

Q: Could you introduce yourself?

A: I am Aurokali Borg, a French passport holder who has been living in Auroville, India, throughout my life except for the intervals that I visit France.

Q: What is your profession?

A: I am a solid waste consultant, manager of solid waste units, a lecturer on the effect of plastic on the planet and a stained-glass artist.

Q: Please elaborate more on your work in waste management.

A: I am involved in Eco Service, the solid waste management of Auroville.

We segregate in 84 categories and support the creation of artistic products through recycled waste material encouraging sustainability centred events such as fashion shows where attire is created entirely from throwaway stuff.

We collect waste from 450 different spots and sell to recyclers, with the goal being to close the cycle by sending back to small scale manufacturers.

We have people visiting the Eco Service from various universities and schools.

We also helped set up recycling bases and significantly reduced landfill trash.

Q: What is your aspiration in the mission of recycling?

A: To make people feel responsible for their use of plastic and other non-biodegradable products by creating awareness of the impact the human choice of lifestyle has on the planet and natural resources.

One of my endeavours is to make people understand that if our forefathers behaved the way we do, humanity would not currently have the basic resources such as water or forests which we are endowed with.

It is therefore our responsibility to ensure that these resources are protected and retained for future generations.

Q: What are the examples of recycling achievements in Auroville?

A: We have encouraged around 85% of the people to use the eco service and be conscious of their waste.

Q: How would you wish to influence the world further on waste recycling?

A: Wherever I travel, if I am given the opportunity, I speak at schools and universities on these topics. I am now working on finding ways to reduce landfill and influencing sustainable materials as packaging alternatives. If my services are needed I would be interested in helping Sri Lanka set up small scale waste collection units and the creation of sustainability centres.

Q: How do you find the garbage issue in Sri Lanka?

A: Sri Lanka is such a beautiful country which I love to visit. Every time I go there I spend time in coastal areas such as Hikkaduwa but am traumatised by the plastic and PET cans scattered all over. These PET cans have value and people need to understand that one can collect and sell them. Poverty alleviation and recycling has to be entwined in a visionary way.

Q: How does Auroville dispose of items such as batteries?

A: We have educational camps in Auroville for non-biodegradable products and in the case of items such as batteries which are harmful for health we seal them in cement containers. We use these cement blocks thereafter in landscaping and keep flower pots on top of them.

Q: Can you explain how garbage is segmented in Auroville?

A: We have key categories such as Metal, Sanitary, Paper, Glass and Plastic. There is also the non-recyclable.

The metal category will include brass, copper, aluminium, iron and stainless steel. The sanitary items include tissues, napkins, toilet paper, condoms, diapers, menstrual pads, dental floss, cigarettes, earbuds, plaster, band aid, hair and dust. These are buried into the ground.

Glass items include jam and pickle jars, all types of glass bottles and broken glass.

Plastic items include printed plastic, hard and soft plastic, plastic bags, bubble wrap, PVC and Flex pipes.

Non-recyclable items include electronics, print cartridges, tape cassettes, CDs, bulbs, batteries, toothpaste tubes, headphones, ceramic tea mugs and toxic products.

Note: We will continue this interview as an educational series in the weeks to come, containing details of how each of these items are recycled or disposed of.