KOCHI: With a 3.5-tonne-per-day capacity biomedical waste treatment plant ready for commissioning at the Brahmapuram dumpsite, Kochi corporation’s efforts to address the growing problem of sanitary and special care waste disposal is set to receive a fillip. The construction agency — Regional Agro-Industrial Cooperative of Kerala (Raidco), a government entity providing comprehensive and decentralised waste management solutions — has handed over the plant to the corporation.
“We are planning a one- or two-week trial run. The plant will be commissioned soon and will be fully functional after the trial run,” an official with Kochi corporation said.
The plant is built at a cost of `3.49 crore, including the operations and maintenance cost for two years, and will facilitate the incineration and disposal of waste such as sanitary napkins and adult diapers.
According to health standing committee chairperson Seena Gokulan, the agreement with Raidco needs to be amended and relevant provisions incorporated before the commissioning of the plant.
“We need diesel to run the plant. But that hasn’t been mentioned in the agreement. We have decided to coordinate with the state government to amend the agreement and add the provisions necessary,” Seena said.
Raidco has also been directed to conduct a trial run with 3.5 tonnes of waste before the commissioning. “A trial run with a small amount of biomedical waste was carried out earlier, but we need to know the functioning of the plant at full capacity,” she added.
The city generates around three tonnes of biomedical waste every day, which is now treated at the Kerala Enviro Infrastructure Ltd (KEIL) unit in Ambalamedu. With the commissioning of the new plant, the corporation also expects to reduce expenditure.
“We are paying `30 per kilogram to treat biomedical waste. Once the plant is commissioned, we will be able to process the waste at around `10,” the official added.
Dryer to be set up
Kochi corporation is also planning to set up a dryer at the Brahamapuram dumpsite to dry the biomedical waste before it is processed. “A dryer will help make waste processing easier and ensure a smooth functioning of the waste treatment plant. As the plant is set to be commissioned, we are taking steps to set one up there,” Seena added.