Even as the efforts like Swachchh Delhi app are struggling to make Delhi cleaner, experts have devised a way to do away with solid waste mess. The researchers at Central Universities have initiated a new technique to manage Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) that can produce methane gas with eco-friendly techniques.
Kafeel Ahmad, senior assistant professor, Jamia Milia Islamia said, “Biological treatment of solid waste can control the emission of harmful gases from waste. The biological treatment is eco-friendly technique as there is no emission of gases. Under this treatment, MSW is mixed with used water and the calorific value is increased which helps in production of Methane gas.”
Moreover, the methane gas can be used as the primary source of fuel in cooking. However, this requires a small plant for the set-up, he added. A team of researchers in Jamia is working on this project while a small plant based on the same idea has been set up at Delhi Secretariat canteen, Ahmad said.
The process to produce methane gas requires segregation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials from MSW.
Chirashree Ghosh, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental studies at Delhi University, said, “There are several cheaper techniques which can be used by the Delhi Government to solve the issue of solid waste that is also a contributory factor to the ever deteriorating air quality in the city. The national Capital is beset with multiple problems which are related to the air pollution. Apart from vehicular emission, civic agencies and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) should come out with a roadmap for problems of managing solid waste, burning of paddy and dry leaves.” said Ghosh.