TNPCB urged to not build waste incinerator plant in Kodungaiyur
The organisations warned that the plant, once operational, will generate CO2 emissions equivalent to the emissions from 8.92 lakh passenger cars every day.
Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board
CHENNAI: With the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) planning to construct a waste-to-energy incinerator plant in Kodungaiyur, various civil society organizations urged Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to stop the project, which would cause pollution.
“The GCC plans to add a heavily-polluting red category waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerator plant in Kodungaiyur, which is already a highly polluted area. Burning 2,100 tons of mixed garbage in the WTE incinerators in Kodungaiyur and North Chennai, which already has about 36 large red-category thermal, petrochemical and other factories, and the city’s largest garbage dump, will be against the principles of environmental justice,” the petition said.
The petition highlighted that WTE incinerators in New Delhi have led to a slew of health problems including, unusually high incidences of cancer, asthma and breathing difficulties and others among people living in that area, which is also confirmed by several studies in various countries.
“Also, experiences from the WTE incinerators in Delhi have shown that children living near WTE incinerators were likely to have lower lung function and lowered IQs from breathing toxic particles and pregnant women were advised not to live in the area as it could affect the growing foetus,” the petition pointed out.
Expressing that segregation of wastes at the sources and decentralised waste processing are the most scientific and sustainable approach for managing waste, the petition cited CSIR-NEERI report that noted, “Promoting WTE incineration plants for mixed waste (mass burning) defeats the purpose of waste segregation, which is mandatory as per the prevailing SWM Rules, 2016. The mass burning of MSW also defeats the opportunity of the Circular Economy for the waste sector.”
The organisations warned that the plant, once operational, will generate CO2 emissions equivalent to the emissions from 8.92 lakh passenger cars every day. This will negatively impact Chennai’s overall climate and air quality index.
Also, the proposed WTE incinerator will produce one of the costliest forms of electricity in the country with a capital expenditure of about Rs 33 crore/MW and power production at about Rs 7/unit.