Drinktec: Why Waste Wednesday scales from grassroots to city-level impact

At a time when India’s waste management debate is often caught between policy intent and on-ground execution, Dr Ruby Makhija’s Why Waste Wednesday initiative is positioning itself as a bridge between awareness and action. The Delhi-based organisation, which has a stall at Drinktec Delhi, is showcasing its decentralised, behaviour-led waste management model to industry stakeholders.

What began as a concept — encouraging citizens to dedicate a few hours midweek to waste management — has evolved into a structured ecosystem spanning an NGO and a for-profit arm. “Why Waste is essentially about questioning our habits. Wednesday is symbolic — it’s about making time for responsible waste practices,” says Makhija, an eye surgeon by training who transitioned into the sector nearly a decade ago.

Her journey began with a zero-waste-to-landfill pilot in Delhi’s Navjeevan Vihar, aligned with the Solid Waste Management Rules rollout. The model, built on segregation, recovery and circularity principles, is now being replicated across residential colonies, institutions, and large-format events. Notably, her team has executed zero-waste systems at high-footfall venues, including events at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where waste was segregated at source into multiple streams rather than post-collection sorting.

At the heart of the model is strict source segregation. Makhija advocates a four-stream approach — wet, dry, sanitary and special care waste — irrespective of downstream inefficiencies. “You have done your job if you segregate correctly,” she says. Complementing this are behavioural interventions such as refusing single-use plastics and enforcing anti-littering norms.

The initiative has recently demonstrated scale in Hisar, Haryana, where a city-wide programme launched in December 2025 has crossed 50% source segregation within a few months. The system relies on granular tracking mechanisms, including daily vehicle mapping, tray-based volume estimation, and weighbridge verification at transfer stations. According to Makhija, the city is now processing 35–40 tonnes of clean wet waste daily, a key indicator of segregation efficiency.

Importantly, the programme leverages existing municipal manpower, including apprentices, rather than deploying entirely new resources—an approach that enhances replicability. “We are building systems and SOPs so that the process continues irrespective of individuals,” she notes.

Alongside municipal partnerships, Why Waste Wednesday also operates circular economy projects such as Paperloop, which facilitates exchange of collected paper waste with recycled paper, addressing both recovery and market linkage challenges.

Makhija is clear that awareness alone is insufficient. “Policy and enforcement are critical. Without accountability, behaviour does not change,” she says, advocating stricter implementation of waste and plastic regulations at both producer and consumer levels.

As the organisation engages with industry players at Drinktec Delhi, the focus is on building cross-sector collaboration. Makhija believes platforms like these are essential to align policymakers, corporations and citizens.

Looking ahead, her priority is to expand into tier-II and tier-III cities and rural areas. “Waste management is not just about infrastructure — it is about behaviour, belief and a sense of belonging,” she says, underlining the need for a cultural shift alongside systemic change.