**Executive Summary**
The National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases (NITRD) has been officially recognized as a "Zero Waste to Landfill" institution under Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0 as of April 22, 2026. This initiative establishes the institute as a national benchmark for achieving full compliance in the Bulk Waste Generator category under the 2026 Solid Waste Management Guidelines. The project, executed via the Swachh Sankalp program, demonstrates the feasibility of sustainable waste management in large-scale healthcare facilities.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Project Implementation and Strategy**
* Initiated with a comprehensive waste audit and baseline survey to map waste streams and identify operational gaps.
* Executed nearly 50 customized capacity-building sessions for hospital staff, administrators, and support personnel to foster behavioral change and accountability.
* Managed by the Why Waste Wednesdays Foundation through the flagship Swachh Sankalp program.
* **Operational Scale and Infrastructure**
* The 27-acre campus generates 1 to 1.2 tons of daily waste, including 500–650 kg of wet waste.
* Established a Wet Waste Composting Centre and a strengthened Dry Waste Resource Centre for efficient sorting and channelization of recyclables.
* Installed 40 Gaia composting bins and 40 Aerobin composting units (inaugurated by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi South Zone team).
* Deployed two horticulture waste shredders to process garden and landscaping residues on-site.
* **Monitoring and Sustainability**
* Established a dedicated monitoring station for real-time oversight of waste management operations.
* Implemented a consumables management space to track and optimize resource usage.
* Created an integrated system designed for long-term operational efficiency and replicability in other healthcare institutions.
**Impact Analysis**
**National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases (NITRD)**
**Impact**
The institute has transitioned into a model of environmental responsibility, successfully diverting all waste from landfills while maintaining standards of patient care.
**Action Required**
NITRD must continue utilizing its monitoring station and integrated infrastructure to ensure the long-term sustainability of its zero-waste ecosystem.
**Indian Healthcare Sector / Other Hospitals**
**Impact**
NITRD serves as a national benchmark and a replicable model, proving that large-scale healthcare facilities can operate sustainably.
**Action Required**
Other institutions are encouraged to adopt similar structured planning, waste auditing, and infrastructure investments to meet national sustainability goals.
**Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD)**
**Impact**
The MCD (specifically the South Zone team) has successfully facilitated a pioneering urban development initiative within its jurisdiction.
**Action Required**
MCD is positioned to use this success as a case study to drive systemic change and collective action across other wards and institutions in Delhi.
Key Entities Referenced
Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0: The overarching national mission under which the zero-waste initiative was implemented to drive sustainable urban development.
National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases (NITRD): A premier healthcare institution in Delhi that achieved 'Zero Waste to Landfill' status, serving as a national benchmark for the sector.
2026 Solid Waste Management Guidelines: The regulatory framework and compliance standards for the Bulk Waste Generator category that governed the institute's waste management practices.
Swachh Sankalp: A flagship program focused on structured planning and behavioral change to execute the zero-waste initiative.
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD): The local governing authority that officially recognized the institute's achievement and inaugurated its waste processing infrastructure.
Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs
Clean Campus, Zero Waste: Smart Sanitation for
Healthcare
Posted On: 22 APR 2026 11:09AM by PIB Delhi
Under Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0, a pioneering initiative transforms a premier healthcare
institution into a model of environmental responsibility as it goes Zero Waste to Landfill
In a significant step toward sustainable urban development, the National Institute of Tuberculosis and
Respiratory Diseases (NITRD), under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, has been officially recognized
as Zero Waste to Landfill. This achievement establishes NITRD as a benchmark for responsible and
environmentally conscious waste management in India’s healthcare sector. The initiative was executed by
the Why Waste Wednesdays Foundation through its flagship program, Swachh Sankalp, showcasing how
structured planning and collective action can drive meaningful change.Spanning a sprawling 27-acre campus, the National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
(NITRD) generates approximately 1 to 1.2 tons of waste daily, including 500–650 kgs of wet waste.
Operating under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, it has emerged as a healthcare institution to
achieve full compliance in the Bulk Waste Generator category under the 2026 Solid Waste Management
Guidelines. This recognition underscores NITRD’s pioneering commitment to sustainable practices,
setting a benchmark for responsible waste management in India’s healthcare sector.
The project adopted a comprehensive and structured approach to sustainable waste management,
beginning with an in-depth waste audit and baseline survey to map all existing waste streams, evaluate
current practices, and identify critical gaps in operations. This diagnostic phase provided a clear
understanding of the institute’s waste generation patterns and informed the design of targeted
interventions. Building on these insights, the initiative launched an intensive awareness and capacity-
building campaign, conducting nearly 50 customized sessions aimed at hospital staff, administrators, and
support personnel. These sessions not only educated participants on best practices in waste segregation,
recycling, and composting, but also fostered a culture of accountability and environmental responsibility.
By ensuring active engagement across all levels of the institution, the program achieved widespread
participation, instigated measurable behavioural change, and laid the foundation for the long-term success
of the zero-waste initiative.
Building on this strong foundation, the project established a robust on-ground infrastructure to manage
waste effectively and sustainably. A Wet Waste Composting Centre has been set up to process
biodegradable waste, while a Dry Waste Resource Centre has been strengthened for efficient sorting,
aggregation, and channelization of recyclable materials, ensuring maximum recovery and diversion from
landfills. Dedicated Horticulture Waste Management Systems has been also implemented to handle garden
and landscaping residues, ensuring that every type of waste generated on the campus was efficiently
processed.To further enhance the institute’s waste processing capacity, 40 Gaia composting bins have been
strategically installed across the campus, complemented by two horticulture waste shredders to streamline
the treatment of larger green waste materials. In addition, a dedicated monitoring station is established to
oversee operations in real-time, supported by a consumables management space to track, manage, and
optimize resource usage. Together, these infrastructure components create a seamless, integrated system
that not only ensures operational efficiency but also guarantees the long-term sustainability of NITRD’s
zero-waste ecosystem, setting a replicable model for other healthcare institutions.
The South Zone team of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) inaugurated 40 Aerobin composting
units at the National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases in Mehrauli Ward.
This achievement represents a major milestone in advancing environmentally responsible practices within
the healthcare sector. By seamlessly integrating comprehensive waste management systems with
continuous awareness programs, staff training, and strategically developed infrastructure, NITRD has
demonstrated how large-scale healthcare institutions can operate sustainably without compromising
efficiency or patient care.
Beyond its operational success, this accomplishment establishes a national benchmark, showing other
hospitals and healthcare facilities across India that zero-waste practices are both feasible and impactful.
The NITRD initiative under Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0 serves as a compelling example of how
collective action, visionary leadership, and meticulous, structured implementation can drive systemic
change. It underscores the power of institutional commitment to sustainability, inspiring a cleaner, greener,
and more responsible future for healthcare and urban development nationwide.
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SK
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