Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Mar 19: Solid waste generation in Goa is projected to rise sharply over the next decade, reaching 1,107.8 tonnes per day (TPD) by 2035 from the current 887.6 TPD in 2025, according to a state government report on waste quantification and characterisation.
The expected increase of 220 TPD is nearly equivalent to the capacity of the state’s largest waste treatment facility at Saligao, underlining the urgent need to expand garbage processing infrastructure.
At present, Goa’s waste treatment capacity falls significantly short of the volume generated. Apart from the 250 TPD Saligao plant, the state has a 100 TPD facility at Cacora. Other centralised facilities include a biomedical waste plant at Kundaim and a hazardous waste treatment unit at Pissurlem.
Locals in some areas have already raised concerns over waste being transported from distant regions for treatment.
Waste generation has steadily increased over the past five years, rising from 791.8 TPD in 2020 to 887.6 TPD in 2025—an increase of 96 TPD. Over the next five years alone, it is expected to grow by another 105 TPD to reach 992.7 TPD, as per data tabled in the Assembly by waste management minister Atanasio Monserrate.
The government attributed the rise to multiple factors, including population growth, booming tourism, expansion of commercial and residential units, improper garbage management in rented premises, increased plastic usage, and roadside dumping.
Among talukas, Bardez generates the highest waste at 227.4 TPD, followed by Salcete (173.5 TPD) and Tiswadi (125 TPD).
At the village level, Calangute leads with 43.7 TPD, followed by Candolim (28.8 TPD), Taleigao (15.1 TPD), and Anjuna (14.4 TPD).
Despite mandates for panchayats to establish material recovery facilities and ensure waste segregation at source, authorities said many areas still send mixed waste, complicating processing. In several panchayats, door-to-door garbage collection also remains inconsistent.
The findings highlight the growing urgency for Goa to strengthen its waste management systems to keep pace with rising demand.