Waste segregation training yields five-fold environmental benefits, says LSE study

Patna: A research study conducted by the London School of Economics (LSE) has found that training households in waste segregation yields environmental benefits worth five times the cost of the training.Presenting the findings on Saturday, Professor Swati Dhingra said that 40% of the Patna Municipal Corporation’s revenue expenditure is currently spent on waste management, adding that participants continued segregation practices even after the study ended.The research, conducted with Professor Stephen Machin, was presented at a one-day conference titled “From Evidence to Action: Environmental Sustainability and Urban Futures in Patna,” organised by LSE, Northeastern University and the Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI).Dipak Kumar Singh, director-general and chief inquiry commissioner of the general administration department, Bihar government, stressed that improvements in waste management hinge on households segregating waste at source.Professor Nishith Prakash of Northeastern University presented related research on intergenerational spillovers in environmental attitudes among Patna schoolchildren, noting that children respond more strongly to environmental curricula than their parents.Tripurari Sharan, chief information commissioner, Bihar govt, emphasised that climate change mitigation requires participatory efforts from all citizens. Amir Subhani, chairman of the Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission, said the government is working towards a citizen-centric, sustainable power supply. Harjot Kaur Bumrah of the Board of Revenue highlighted the need for public education alongside environmental reforms.Addressing implementation challenges, Nalin Bharti of IIT-Patna said the Smart City Mission has yet to deliver visible results on the ground, pointing to persistent garbage on city roads and poor interdepartmental coordination. Dr Alok Ranjan of the state health agency called for an integrated approach to pollution management, replacing fragmented efforts by multiple government bodies.