What's New :
8th July 2025 (9 Topics)

Waste to Energy

Context:

Delhi is getting its fifth waste-to-energy (WTE) plant, located in Bawana, with a capacity to process 3,000 tonnes of waste daily. 

Waste Segregation at Source and Waste-to-Energy in India

Solid Waste Management in India

  • Definition: Solid Waste includes garbage, refuse, sludge, and other discarded materials from residential, industrial, and institutional sources.
  • Key Statute: Governed by the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016, notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
  • Solid Waste Generation:
    • India: 1,70,338 tonnes/day (CPCB 2021–22)
    • Waste Treated: ~91,512 tonnes/day (~54%)
    • Delhi: Generates ~11,000 MT/day; processes ~8,073 MT/day
    • Improvement: Waste processing increased from 18% in FY 2014–15 to 78% in FY 2024

Waste Segregation at Source

  • SWM Rules, 2016 Categories:
    • Biodegradable: Organic, compostable (food scraps, paper)
    • Non-Biodegradable: Recyclables and inert materials (plastics, glass, metals)
    • Domestic Hazardous: Diapers, cleaning agents, napkins, e-waste, batteries

Significance:

  • Prevents cross-contamination of recyclable/organic waste
  • Facilitates resource recovery through composting and recycling
  • Reduces burden on landfills and improves urban sanitation
  • Helps in tracking hazardous waste and reduces public health risk

Waste-to-Energy (WtE) Technologies

  • Provisions under SWM Rules, 2016:
    • Waste ?1500 kcal/kg calorific value must be diverted to energy recovery.
    • Mandatory RDF Use: Industries within 100 km of RDF plants to use 5% RDF as fuel.

Major WtE Technologies:

Method

Description

Incineration

Combustion of MSW to generate heat ? steam ? electricity

Gasification

Converts organic waste to syngas using high temperatures and low oxygen

Anaerobic Digestion

Biological degradation in oxygen-free setup to produce biogas

Pyrolysis

High-temp decomposition in absence of oxygen ? bio-oil, syngas, char

Fermentation

Microbial action on biomass ? ethanol

Landfill Gas Recovery

Methane from decomposing landfills is collected for combustion energy

 

Benefits:

  • Reduces landfill demand and GHG emissions (methane diversion)
  • Converts liability to asset (energy + materials)
  • Resource recovery from metals and recyclables post-incineration
  • Supports circular economy and clean energy goals

Draft SWM Rules, 2024 – Key Highlights

  • Legal Backing: Proposed under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
  • Enforcement:
    • Sanitation Workers authorized to impose fines for improper segregation
    • Clear accountability for citizens and local bodies
  • Segregation Streamlined:
    • Mandatory sorting into Wet, Dry, Sanitary, and Special Care Waste
  • Agricultural Waste Management:
    • Bans open burning; mandates collection and storage of stubble/agri-waste
    • Gram Panchayats empowered to penalize for stubble burning

Policy Linkages and Governance

  • National Clean Air Programme (NCAP): WtE and stubble management linked with urban air quality goals.
  • Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0: Focus on 100% segregation and waste processing.
  • National Bio-Energy Programme: Promotes bio-CNG and waste-to-biogas units.

Challenges in Implementation

  • Low household compliance with segregation norms
  • Inadequate infrastructure for RDF plants and WtE projects
  • Financial non-viability and poor operation of WtE plants in smaller towns
  • Informal waste sector lacks training and safety in handling hazardous/domestic waste
  • Public apathy and insufficient behavioral awareness

Way Forward

  • Strengthen ULB capacities to implement SWM rules effectively
  • Promote decentralized composting and biomethanation at ward-level
  • Incentivize citizen participation through reward-based models
  • Private Sector Participation (PPP) for sustainable WtE plants
  • Strict enforcement of segregation, landfill diversion targets, and agri-waste management
  • Promote Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to reduce packaging and plastic waste

Verifying, please be patient.

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