System Design Case Study
Household Waste management system : options and opportunities to manage
Sustainability
Household Waste management system in India : options and opportunities to manage
Rethinking Household Waste Habits
Project Overview
India faces a significant challenge in managing household waste due to the lack of effective segregation practices, limited public awareness, and gaps in implementation at the community level. This project explores the behavioral, infrastructural, and systemic issues surrounding waste segregation, aiming to identify practical and sustainable solutions that can drive change at the grassroots level.
Through extensive research, case studies, stakeholder interviews, and design thinking methodologies, the project outlines a multi-phase intervention ranging from awareness campaigns and educational games to product innovation and digital tools. These interventions are crafted to foster a culture of responsibility, enable better waste management practices, and ultimately reduce the environmental burden of mismanaged waste.
Problem Statement
The absence of consistent household waste segregation practices in India has led to inefficient recycling and heavy reliance on environmentally unsafe landfills. Existing systems fail to retain valuable resources and require a shift toward more sustainable, user-friendly solutions
Industry
Sustainability
Client
Self Initiated
My Role
Lead Designer
Platforms
System Design
Timeline
September - December 2023
Process
Key Stats In India
62 m
Tonnes of Waste Generated
43 m
Tonnes of Waste Collected
20%
Waste Recycled
80%
Waste End Up in Landfills
Interviews
Interviews were conducted of stakeholders (waste collectors, officials) and users (households). Total of 3-4 household users and 2 stakeholders interview were conducted.
Below is the pattern based breakdown of their views.
Persona
To better understand the behavioural patterns and challenges in household waste segregation, I identified two primary user archetypes.
A responsible homemaker-genuinely wants to make a difference and inculcate sustainable habits in her family,
A busy working professional, is aware of the importance of waste segregation but struggles to integrate it into his fast-paced lifestyle
Renu Sharma
Homemaker
I do my part every day, but I still see everything mixed together
Age: 42
Location: Urban Residential Society, Rohini, Delhi
Tech Proficiency: Low
Gender: Female
Goals
Maintain a clean and hygienic household
Teach her children about sustainable living
Be an active contributor to community cleanliness initiatives
Reduce her household’s environmental impact through proper waste segregation
Frustrations
Waste collectors mix segregated waste, making her efforts feel pointless
Error messages that don’t explain the issue.
Lack of support and awareness among neighbors and domestic help
No acknowledgment or incentives for doing the right thing consistently
Rajat Verma
Software Engineer
I want to contribute, but with my schedule, I need a system that’s quick and clear
Age: 30
Location: Janakpuri, New Delhi
Tech Proficiency: Moderate
Gender: Male
Goals
Support environmental causes through simple, everyday actions
Keep his living space minimal and clutter-free
Use smart solutions to manage tasks efficiently
Contribute to a responsible community without disrupting his routine
Frustrations
Waste segregation feels complicated and time-consuming
Doesn’t trust that the waste is processed properly after disposal
Sees no community accountability or motivation to improve the system
Lack of support and awareness among neighbors and domestic help
Brainstorming
Solutions Defined
The root causes of the problem appear to stem from deficiencies in public education, a lack of widespread awareness, and insufficient motivation for individuals to actively participate in waste segregation and support sustainable waste management practices. While existing government initiatives are commendable, their impact could be significantly enhanced through more robust and widespread implementation.
Numerous solutions have been proposed to strengthen waste segregation efforts and encourage behavioural change both at individual and community levels, as well as on a larger scale: to drive meaningful and lasting improvements.
Solution : System Plan
This solution is designed at a personal level, aiming to initiate change on a small scale that can lead to a significant impact over time. The approach is structured into four distinct phases, each contributing to a gradual yet powerful transformation in waste management behavior and practices.
Creating the buzz:
Putting posters and raising a communication.
To encourage and celebrate success of people who are doing good work by segregating waste
Raising awareness:
To initiate conversations around waste management and ecosystem awareness within the community, I adopted an engaging and inclusive approach. Efforts are structured as follows:
Began organizing interactive games, quizzes, and workshops focused on environmental education and waste management. These activities are open to both adults and children aged 10 years and above, ensuring broad participation
Children, being quick learners, are introduced to key concepts early through activities like Treasure Hunt, making learning fun and impactful. This early exposure encourages them to influence their families and spread awareness at home
Adults participate in games like Eco-themed Housie, designed to engage them in conversations about sustainability in an enjoyable and relatable way
Introduction of products:
Introduced simple, targeted interventions to encourage behaviour change in waste segregation. Each product or tool was thoughtfully designed to align with the community’s current stage in the waste segregation journey, ensuring relevance and ease of adoption.
Solution: Campaign Design
Concept 1
Through this campaign,I am empowering citizens to take charge of the root cause of waste and transform it into a valuable resource that enhances their quality of life while reigniting a sense of pride in their city.
Source To Resource
It is a tap into the pulse of the city by including people, famous landmarks, famous cafes, small scale industry owners, children from the city as part of our communication. We celebrate their source of happiness and their examples to teach and educate the importance of waste segregation.
Concept 2
Segregate your waste in showing different products in one poster to take a sense of responsibility.
Segregate Your Waste
In this set of posters represent the three main recyclable materials Plastic, Glass and Paper. Each poster has one material standing out that isn’t supposed to be in the recycling pile, showing its out of place.
Concept 3
A comprehensive campaign designed to promote waste segregation and raise awareness, leveraging multiple platforms and diverse media channels to effectively reach and engage a broader audience.
Campaign Structure
Solution: App Design
Create an app that can be used by household women to inform them about waste segregation and collect their feedback. The app will also offer rewards for their participation and efforts in segregation. Weekly rewards, such as household groceries and magazines, can be given to encourage continued involvement and learning. As women are increasingly using smartphones, they can easily track, read, and report on segregation through the app
Features List of Application
Providing information about the ways of segregation and how they can manage waste through videos, blogs etc.
Reward system, to give them rewards on the basis of segregation
Tracking system to track in detail on what days they have segregated and on what days they have not.
Setting up reminders to segregate
The main purpose of the application will be to set reminders and give incentives rewards to people who give segregated waste
Note: The app was merely a solution suggestion, so only the initial Information Architecture was created, not the complete application.