How Chepauk stadium plans to reduce waste at IPL matches

MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai joins other sporting events where focus is on reducing and recycling waste generated during the IPL cricket matches

If you are going to MA Chidambaram Stadium at Chepauk on April 3 for the Chennai Super Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants match in the Indian Premier League, watch the sidelines for an engaging sustainability exercise.

Effort will be made to ensure waste is segregated at source — waste found at allotted stands (C, D and E on April 3) during a match. What is meant for recycling will go to the recycling cart. What is meant for composting will go to the one earmarked for it.

Urbaser Sumeet, the waste management company engaged by the Greater Chennai Corporation, and Tamil Nadu Cricket Association have together put in place a “Green Protocol”, focused on the three R’s– Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

As part of this initiative, use of plastics within the stadium would be curtailed right from the entrance. The use of cloth bags and cloth banners would be encouraged. A good number of green and blue bins for disposal of wet and dry waste would be provided inside and outside the stadium.

“For the first time, we have designed a plan to ensure waste — although only in a set of allotted stands in every match — leaves the campus segregated,” says Mahmood Sait, chief executive officer, Urbaser Sumeet.

An active waste-segregation process could be initiated only for allotted stands every match. Seven matches are scheduled to be held at Chepauk.

Besides the stands, the concourse — where other stakeholders including police, fire service personnel and vendors are spotted the most — will be strictly subjected to this process.