Gurgaon First

Sangeeta Nayyar

Waste Warrior, Ridgewood Estate

Turning Trash to Treasure: Ridgewood Estate’s Inspiring Waste Management Journey

Piles of garbage

That’s the image that haunted me for years—at street corners, outside gates, next to parks. It was everywhere, and it deeply disturbed me. I couldn’t understand why we had come to accept this mess as a part of our daily lives. Over time, I came to realize that the real issue wasn’t just the volume of garbage we produced—it was how we were managing it, or rather, not managing it at all. The root cause, in my view, was simple yet glaring—lack of segregation at source. We were mixing everything—kitchen waste, paper, plastic, sanitary waste—into a single bin and expecting miracles. But the truth is, once waste is mixed, it is almost impossible to recover anything useful from it. I knew that a large part of our daily household waste is wet waste— peels, leftovers, garden clippings—all of which are 100% compostable.And if we separate that, the dry waste remains clean and is far easier to recycle. I had learned this through personal experience, and that’s where my journey truly began.

My First Composting Experience

Back in 2004, I began composting at home. I used a Khamba, a simple terracotta unit with three stacked pots. It was easy, clean, and deeply satisfying. Watching kitchen waste turn into rich, earthy compost felt like magic—and responsibility rolled into one. This success nudged me to think bigger. I live in Ridgewood Estate, a large residential colony in Gurgaon. I felt this was the next frontier. If one household could manage its wet waste, why couldn’t hundreds? But scaling up was a whole different ballgame.

The Complex Challenge

Our complex generates 400 to 500 kilograms of wet waste daily. If we were to compost this naturally, we would need 20–30 days for each batch to break down—and that required space, planning, and manpower. Once composted, it would need to be dried and refined, which would add another 10–15 days. We considered alternatives like electrical composters, mechanical crushers, and drying units, but all of them came with high capital costs and ongoing electricity bills. More importantly, they weren’t natural. I wasn’t comfortable with a solution that consumed more energy or involved chemicals.

We had also explored Aga Bins, which are based on a similar natural composting concept. While they seemed promising, the high capital cost deterred us.It just didn’t feel like a financially feasible solution at the time for a large-scale, community-based approach.

Setting Up the Ridgewood Composting System

Pune has been able to institute a well-managed segregation system for the sanitary napkins and other sanitary waste such as condoms and adult diapers at the household level. The collection amount is about 40-50 tonnes a month. The RED DOT campaign started at Pune recommends households to send the waste in separate liners and hand it over to the waste workers with a red dot to mark its distinction from other waste. Currently the sanitary waste collected in the city of Pune is either going to the Padcare plant where the plastics and pulp are separated, treated, and utilized or to a pilot P&G plant and those that do not reach either of these plants are being dumped in the landfills. In Delhi NCR too, most of the sanitary waste is landing in dumpsites although in the SWM Rules 2016, it is recommended that it should be sent to Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facilities (CBWTFs).

During the COVID pandemic, several collection points were identified for the home quarantine waste were coming to the healthcare facilities or through the ULBs who sought assistance from NGOs to establish a system for registered pick-up points including hotels that were repurposed for quarantining patients. Post pandemic, pilot initiatives have been carried out to continue a model to systematically collect the home healthcare waste. However, very few, if any are functioning. It is reported that the waste is at present being sporadically dropped off at the facility and the problem of mixing the various biomedical categories persist. Also, efforts need to made to make this system sustained and widespread. Currently, individuals who come to the drop-off facilities are usually the ones who are informed about the system or are aware of this system by the virtue of their association with certain networks.

Eventually, we decided to stay with the natural method. We identified a suitable corner in the complex and built a tiled platform. We placed large aerobic bins with porous walls on it—this allowed the compost to “breathe” and break down efficiently.

The best part? We had a supportive and encouraging RWA Board at the time, which gave us both moral and logistical backing. We prepared simple leaflets with visuals of the different colored bins and what each bin should contain. A few of us went door-to-door, talking to residents, explaining the importance of segregation, and handing out the sheet to be put up in the kitchen for daily reference.

We also understood that maids and housekeeping staff played a crucial role in waste disposal. So we held orientation sessions for them, explained the segregation process, and made it fun and welcoming—with samosas handed out to entice and appreciate them! Small gestures go a long way in building community participation.

To ensure accountability, we set up a basic monitoring mechanism: housekeeping staff reports to the supervisor if a flat does not segregate its waste.This simple system helped reinforce the importance of daily discipline.

From the beginning, I was clear that the project shouldn’t be dependent on any one individual or group. So we decided to engage a professional— Balancing Bits, run by Rahul Khera— to manage the composting process. His team is responsible for handling the wet waste once it is brought to the site, turning it regularly, managing moisture levels, and producing high-quality compost. This has ensured long-term sustainability, so that even if the initiating team steps away, the system keeps running smoothly.

The Compost and Its Use

Since 2018, we have been consistently composting an average of 50 kgs of wet waste every single day. That’s nearly 18 tonnes a year diverted from overflowing landfills.

The compost we produce is used in our gardens, adding life to the soil and helping plants flourish. Residents are also free to take compost for their own balconies and potted plants.

But as with any large-scale operation, we often produce more compost than we can use internally. That’s why we’ve tied up with an external agency that picks up a fixed amount of compost regularly against compensation. It’s a win-win—we reduce waste, earn a small return, and support greener ecosystems beyond our complex walls.

Recognition and Responsibility

Being one of the early adopters of natural community composting in Gurgaon,our efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Officials from the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) visited our site to understand our setup and process. Along with Garden Estate, we were among the first Bulk Waste Generators (BWGs) in the city to adopt natural composting methods, setting an example at a time when many were still skeptical.

Their visit was validating—it showed that small community initiatives, when done right, can set the tone for city-wide change.

Room to Grow: Engaging Children

One area I feel we could have done better is involving children. As much as I would’ve liked, I haven’t been able to engage them meaningfully— except for a little bit in the initial stage. Children are naturally curious and can be powerful changemakers. We can and should do a lot more with them— from composting workshops to storytelling sessions around waste. That’s a next step I would love to take forward.

What Worked—and What Needs Work

Looking back, I think our success hinged on a few key principles:

Keep it simple: No machines, no chemicals—just basic, replicable systems.
Build community awareness: Residents, maids, and staff were all involved and empowered.
Create checks and continuity: Reporting systems and professional management have kept the initiative robust.
Start small but stay consistent: We didn’t wait for perfect conditions. We just began—and learned along the way.

The shift is visible. People now understand the importance of segregation. Our gardens are lush. Waste is no longer someone else’s problem—it’s a shared responsibility. New residents ask about the composting process when they move in. There’s a quiet pride in knowing we are doing something right for the city—and for the planet.

What’s Next?

I believe this model can be replicated across housing societies, especially in urban India where landfills are exploding and climate change is real. Our investment has been low, our impact high, and the learnings lifelong. Composting isn’t just about managing kitchen waste—it’s about rethinking our relationship with consumption, nature, and community living.