Waste-to-energy project of BMC is flawed, say experts

TO BE NOTED ’Segregation of waste is essential part for processing it’

Experts on waste management and environmental chemistry have pointed out flaws in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) waste to energy project at Deonar which is still in the tendering process.

Speaking exclusively to Free Press Journal, Dr Rakesh Kumar, Director of National Environmental Engineering Research’s Institute (NEERI), pointed out that the civic body has not mentioned about segregation of waste before processing it. Kumar, who has consulted the BMC on several of its projects, said that segregation of waste is an essential part for processing it.

Kumar said, “The plan of the waste to energy plant does not mention the segregation of waste. This should be included in every waste to energy project in the country. The authorities should understand that burning non-combustible waste will be of no use.”

However, Vijay Balamvar, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Solid Waste Management), rubbished such claims saying the process is included in the project. He added, ‘We have mandated the segregation in the preprocess stage. We cannot let the waste process function without segregating as it will affect the quality of the processed waste.”

Kumar added that processing amalgamated waste will reduce the calorific value of the processed waste. Elaborating on the waste to energy plant, Kumar cited that if we process around 2,000 metric tonnes of waste that is not segregated, the calorific value will be reduced to 800 metric tonnes.

A plan to prepare a scientific waste to energy plant was proposed by a team of Tata Consultancy Services. The survey conducted by the team estimated that around 25-30 mega watts of energy can be created by processing 3,000 metric tons of waste.

The waste to energy project was approved in July 2016. Of 132 hectares of Deonar dumping ground, around 14.2 will be used for the plant