Waste to Fuel and Fertiliser Proposals for Indian Dump Site

16 November 2011

To deal with problems at the Ramaiyanpatti dump site on the outskirts of the Tirunelveli, southern India, a solid waste management programme which will convert the waste into biofuel and fertiliser has been proposed, according to a report in The Hindu.

It is estimated that nearly 130 tonnes of the 160 tonnes of garbage generated within the Tirunelveli City Municipal Corporation's limits is being collected and dumped at the Ramaiyanpatti site, despite frequent agitations being staged by the people living near the facility.

According to the report, repeated appeals to the urban civic body have gone unanswered, and the Ramaiyanpatti residents have approached the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court about the dumping of garbage in the residential area.

The Supreme Court of India has instructed all corporations across the country to have an effective solid waste management programme in their jurisdiction for the conversion of degradable refuse into fertiliser.

Due to this instruction, the petitioners believe that the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court's verdict would find in their favour.

To avoid such legal issues, the Corporation has proposed to establish a sold waste management yard at Ramaiyanpatti to convert a portion of the garbage into fertiliser, and take the non-degradable refuse for recycling.

Following the Corporations recent call for tenders for a solid waste management programme, Madurai based waste infrastructure specialist, AAPL Infra Private Limited, has been shortlisted to implement the plan.

According to the report, the firm plans to convert biodegradable waste into fertiliser and biofuel, and treat the water from the underground drainage for use in agriculture.

"The infrastructure to be developed under this programme on 12 acres of land to be provided by the Corporation on lease for 20 years will be on the basis of build, operate and transfer," corporation sources are quoted to have said.


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