In what could be seen as a setback to those opposing burning of municipal solid wastes (MSW), the National Green Tribunal (NGT), New Delhi, has permitted the States, including Karnataka, to use incinerator technology for producing Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), commonly known as waste-to-energy.
However, the Tribunal said no waste could be directly put into the incinerators or for power generation, except the specifically permitted.
Only those wastes that are found unrecyclable after segregation should be put into the incinerators. Also, the tribunal emphasised that it was “not putting any absolute restriction on RDF being used as power generation fuel, but first effort should be made for composting of wet waste”.
The States are free to use RDF for generating fuel with due care and caution by framing necessary guidelines. Meanwhile, the Central Pollution Control Board and the Ministry of Environment and Forests were directed to prescribe specific guidelines for emissions from incinerators.
The directions were issued on a case between city-based MSW expert Almitra H. Patel vs. Union of India that was referred to the NGT by the Supreme Court, which since 1996 had issued several directions on management of MSW across the country. Based on this case, the Centre had formulated the MSW (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000.
The NGT also directed dividing the State into clusters for locating sufficient number of incinerator plants. Authorities were also asked to provide maximum space for plants to have large storage and processing area for wastes; ensure green belt of higher density around plants, and adopt new technologies.
