THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an effort to become self-sufficient in waste management and reduce growing dependence on other states for waste disposal, Keralam is gearing up to keep most of the processing chain within the state, by setting up a centralised 500-tonne-a-day waste-to-energy plant and a network of refuse derived fuel (RDF) plants as part of its new five-year zero-waste campaign.
The proposed waste-to-energy facility is envisaged as the final link in a statewide system under which non-recyclable waste will be processed into RDF at regional facilities and subsequently used as feedstock for energy generation. The move is aimed at reducing Keralam’s dependence on other states, where large quantities of processed waste are currently sent for use in cement factories.
A senior local self-government department (LSGD) official said land for the proposed 500-tonne facility in Kochi has already been identified, while the Suchitwa Mission has appointed a consultant to take forward the project.
“The consultant is expected to examine the technical and financial aspects, finalise the project scope and prepare tender documents. A public-private partnership (PPP) model is likely to be considered, as the project is expected to be a large-scale, technology-intensive facility,” the official told TNIE.
The official said the project will take off in the first year of the ‘Nirmalam - Puthuyuga Suchithwa Keralam’ campaign, which is set to be launched on Friday. “Once the land is finalised, expressions of interest (EoIs) will be invited and an implementing agency will be deployed,” the official added.
According to official sources, the Clean Kerala Company Ltd (CKCL) transport around 4,500 to 5000 tonnes of non-biodegradable waste to cement factories in other states.
The waste-to-energy plant is being planned alongside 12 regional RDF plants.
“Five RDF facilities already operate in the private sector, while several of the proposed facilities are at different stages of development. The facilities are expected to be distributed geographically so that waste can be processed closer to its source.
The objective is to create a continuous chain -- from household-level collection and segregation to processing at RDF plants and finally conversion into energy -- rather than relying on the long-distance movement of waste to facilities outside the state,” the official said.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan will launch the people-centric campaign in North Paravur, Ernakulam, with the ambitious goal of making the state waste-free by March 30, 2031.
The campaign, led by the LSGD and coordinated by Suchitwa Mission, envisages a comprehensive overhaul of solid and liquid waste management, with greater emphasis on waste reduction, resource recovery, recycling and scientific treatment.
At a press conference on Thursday, LSGD Minister K M Shaji urged the cooperation of everyone to make the state free of waste in the next five years.
“When the campaign ends in 2031, the state will be self-sufficient and will have treatment facilities for various kinds of generated waste.”
Govt moots single waste mgmt body
The state government is planning to create a new waste management authority soon to ensure better streamlining of waste management. The proposed authority is expected to bring agencies including Clean Kerala Company, Suchitwa Mission, Haritha Kerala Mission and Impact Kerala under a common umbrella, ending the fragmented approach to waste management, officials said.
The proposed authority is expected to have a governing board and specialised divisions for technology, marketing, training and revenue generation. The move is part of the government’s five-year waste-management road map and is expected to drive the state’s transition to a circular economy, treating waste as a resource rather than a financial burden, said a source.