Delhi’s increased reliance on unconventional sources of power generation may prove hazardous to its environment. The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has raised serious concerns over the upcoming waste-to-energy plant in the national Capital — terming it ‘not properly organised’ — as it lacks proper pollution control system. The NEERI has observed that there is no proper mechanism for the disposal of the residue or Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) emanating from burning municipal solid waste (MSW) and hence, it could lead to harmful gas emissions. The observation came after the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NMC) sought opinion from the engineering body after objections were raised by the Delhi Government and various other agencies over the project.
“Presently there is no readily available market for sale/utilisation of RDF in the vicinity of current site (Narela-Bawana) except a few brick kiln operators and some other small-scale industries. The RDF generated from MSW processing facilities is likely to contain chlorinated plastic and will lead to harmful emission if burnt in such furnaces and boilers that are neither designed for such wastes nor equipped with proper emission control facilities,” it observed in the report submitted to the NMC.
The NEERI noted that the quantum of residue presently utilised by such industries is negligible as compared to the total generation. “Under such circumstances, the waste processing plant needs to store the unutilised RDF and this would, in the long run, result in mere transfer of garbage from city to site and would lead to various adverse environmental impact, including foul odour, air emissions, vectors and surface and groundwater contamination,” the report pointed.
However, in order to prevent contamination, the NEERI has suggested a slew of measures including scientific disposal of MSW, safe utilisation of RDF and minimisation of odour nuisance and health risks, among others. It advised the civic body to look out for environmentally safe options to establish a dedicated waste-to-energy plant so that entire RDF stored at Narela-Bawana site and future generation of RDF can be captively utilised.
“There are environmental advantages to such option as entire RDF will be processed at a single facility which will be specially designed for combustion of such material, equipped with necessary pollution control equipment and convenient for regulatory agencies to monitor its environmental performance,” the NEERI suggested. However, the expert body pointed out that such waste to energy plants needs proper quality of RDF generated from proper processing of accumulated RDF to suit the needs of such waste to energy plants.
According to a senior official of the civic body, Narela-Bawana was conceived as the first scientific landfill site in the city where close to 1,000 tonnes of solid waste will be segregated and processed to obtain fertilizer pellets and other recyclable material. “In the first phase, the Corporation is going to scientifically dispose of the solid waste and in the next phase, we will convert the garbage dumped at the site into energy,” said a senior official of the MCD. The waste-to-energy plant was originally scheduled to be commissioned by the year 2012. While a waste to energy plant at Okhla is operational; the other at Gazipur is likely to start functioning from next month.
Burning issue
NEERI has raised serious concerns over the upcoming waste-to-energy plant in Delhi — terming it ‘not properly organised’ — as it lacks proper pollution control system
It has observed that there is no proper mechanism for the disposal of Refuse Derived Fuel emanating from burning municipal solid waste and hence, it could lead to harmful gas emissions