Winter waste burning in multiple Indian cities significantly worsens air quality, with a study finding pollution levels rise about threefold compared with summer. The increase is tied to seasonal weather conditions that reduce how far smoke can travel and keep pollutants near ground level.
Outlets citing the same World Resources Institute (WRI) India research attribute the surge to a combination of weaker winds and more stable atmospheric conditions, including temperature inversions that limit the dispersion of emissions. Both reports also note that households and other actors burn waste more often in winter, in part for routine disposal and in part because some use burning for warmth.
The reports further point to social and service-related factors behind where burning is most common. One outlet emphasizes a socio-economic divide, saying lower-income neighbourhoods experience higher rates of burning, linked to inconsistent municipal waste collection and fewer alternatives for waste handling. Overall, the sources present winter as both a physical constraint on pollution dispersal and a period when waste burning becomes more frequent.
