TCS Corporate Sustainability Report 2010-11 - Tata Consultancy ...

Waste Management
Due to the nature of our business, waste generation is fairly limited. There are dry wastes, wet
wastes, e-wastes and a small quantity of hazardous waste. Our Waste Management practices
seek to reduce the environmental impact of even this limited waste to the extent possible.
Biodegradable waste
The wet and dry waste generated by the canteens at various TCS facilities went up even on a
per-capita basis in FY 2011, but we believe much of this is due to ongoing improvements in
data capture and reporting practices.
25
20
15
10
5
0
The first step to any waste management practice is waste segregation at source. The hierarchy
for disposal of biodegradable waste is biogas recovery through bio-digesters (methane
avoidance) followed by vermicomposting, disposal as fodder to piggeries and, as a last resort,
to the municipal garbage collection system where no other options are feasible.
TCS has two bio-digesters, one at Mangaladas (Pune) and the other at Yantra Park, Mumbai.
The methane generated from the bio-digesters is used as fuel in the Canteen Kitchen. More
bio-digesters and organic waste composters will be installed at various locations in 2011-12.
Our vermicomposting initiative is progressing well. 16 of our centers carry out composting,
either in campus or at an external facility. Compost generated per month in FY 2011 went up
by 60% YoY.
3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
Paper Recycling Initiative
0
8.0
14.0 14.7
2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011
Figure 58 Waste Generated (Kg/FTE/yr)
478
Instead of going into landfills, paper waste is shredded and sent for recycling. In some
cases, they are sent to NGOs which purchase the waste paper for a nominal amount and
supply notepads made of recycled paper to TCS.
In FY 2011, the recycling initiative progressed further. The number of TCS facilities recycling
shredded paper waste went up to 52 (FY 2010: 32). 78% of the total paper waste was sent
for recycling in FY 2011 (66% in FY 2010).
72
1,290
2,066
19.9
3,260
2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011
Figure 59 Compost generated (kg/month)