Navi Mumbai has secured the top position in India’s cleanliness rankings at the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2025–26, emerging as the country’s cleanest city. The city claimed the first rank among 4,751 urban centres across India, while Indore, which had held the top position for the past eight years, secured second place. Navi Mumbai was awarded the title of ‘Swachh Shehar – Rank 1’.
This achievement highlights the importance of effective waste management, civic participation and sustainable living practices. While municipal authorities play an important role in maintaining cleanliness, individual efforts at the household level are equally essential.
So, what can residents do to make their cities cleaner? Taking inspiration from Navi Mumbai’s cleanliness initiatives, here are five practical zero-waste habits that you can introduce into your daily routine to reduce household waste and support a cleaner environment.
5 Zero-Waste Habits to Adopt at Home
Several initiatives involving the municipal corporation, government authorities and local residents have contributed to Navi Mumbai’s cleanliness efforts. These practices offer simple lessons that households in other cities can also follow.
1. Separate Wet and Dry Waste at the Source
One of the key practices behind Navi Mumbai’s waste management system is the strict segregation of household garbage. Door-to-door waste collection vehicles follow a system in which residents are required to separate waste before handing it over for collection.
Food leftovers, tea leaves, fruit peels and eggshells are placed in green bins for wet waste. Meanwhile, recyclable materials such as paper, cardboard, glass and clean plastic packaging are collected separately in blue bins for dry waste.
How to adopt this habit: Keep two clearly labelled dustbins in your kitchen, one for wet waste and another for dry waste. You can also place a small container on your kitchen counter to collect vegetable peels while preparing meals.
2. Reuse Kitchen Waste and Water at Home
Navi Mumbai’s Water Plus Certification recognises the city’s complete wastewater treatment and reuse for gardening. This approach highlights the importance of conserving water and making better use of available resources.
Households can follow a similar approach by composting kitchen waste and reusing suitable water for household plants. Vegetable peels can be layered with cocopeat or dried leaves in terracotta composters or aerated balcony bins. Over approximately 45 to 60 days, these organic materials can turn into nutrient-rich compost.
Rinsed kitchen water can also be used to water balcony plants.
How to adopt this habit: Begin with a small terracotta composter or an airtight Bokashi bin on your balcony or utility area. Keep cocopeat nearby and sprinkle it over fresh food scraps to support the composting process.
3. Use Technology to Manage and Track Dry Waste
Technology and public participation have also contributed to Navi Mumbai’s waste management system. GPS-enabled garbage collection vehicles are monitored through the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), helping authorities track waste collection activities.
Residents can also report missed garbage pickups and littering through the MyNMMC App and Swachhata App. Digital collection drives further encourage households to ensure that recyclable materials reach authorised recycling facilities.
How to adopt this habit: Keep a separate cloth bag or cardboard box in your utility area for clean recyclable materials. Store plastic and metal waste separately from electronic waste. You can use an old shoebox to collect discarded chargers, used batteries and fused bulbs until they can be handed over through appropriate collection channels.
4. Replace Single-Use Plastic with Reusable Bags and Containers
Reducing plastic consumption is another important part of maintaining cleaner neighbourhoods. Inspired by plastic restrictions and community awareness campaigns, Navi Mumbai encourages residents to carry reusable bags and containers while shopping at local markets.
Many households follow the practice of keeping a reusable shopping kit containing foldable cotton bags, mesh bags for vegetables and stainless-steel containers for carrying food items such as meat, paneer and farsan.
How to adopt this habit: Keep two foldable cloth bags near your main entrance or alongside your car keys so that you remember to carry them while shopping. When ordering takeaway food, request restaurants to avoid unnecessary plastic cutlery and tissues. You can also carry your own steel containers when purchasing snacks or sweets.
5. Recycle Old Clothes and Participate in Wardrobe Swaps
Navi Mumbai has also gained national attention for operating India’s first dedicated textile waste recycling centre. The initiative encourages residents to find alternatives to throwing away unwanted clothes, old bedsheets and damaged curtains.
Wearable garments can be donated at community collection centres, while torn or faded fabrics can be reused at home or deposited at designated textile recycling facilities. These materials can then be processed into industrial yarn and stuffing.
How to adopt this habit: Instead of putting unwanted clothes directly into household garbage, collect them in a separate recyclable bag. Old cotton T-shirts can be cut into reusable cleaning cloths, while other unwanted fabrics can be taken to local textile recycling drives or brand take-back collection points.
Small Changes Can Help Build Cleaner Cities
Navi Mumbai’s achievement at the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2025–26 highlights how organised waste management, public awareness and community participation can contribute to a cleaner urban environment.
From separating household garbage and composting kitchen scraps to reducing plastic use and recycling old clothes, these everyday practices can make a meaningful difference. Maintaining cleanliness is not solely the responsibility of municipal authorities; citizens also have an important role to play.
By adopting these simple zero-waste habits, households can reduce waste, use resources more responsibly and contribute to cleaner neighbourhoods. Small efforts made consistently can help create healthier and more sustainable cities.