Kerala government's Suchitwa Mission team that visited Germany last month has approved the adoption of ‘ecocycling' technology for the proposed municipal solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram near here.
Ecocycling is a cold mineralisation process where waste is torn apart and molecules are encapsulated in the resultant silicate structure. The waste is transformed into a mineral called C.M500, a non-toxic product suitable for various applications in the construction and agriculture sectors.
Senior government officials associated with the development told The Hindu that a final report on the ecocycling technology will be forwarded to the Department of Local Self-Government soon. The Government is awaiting a reply on certain aspects related to the patent for the technology from the company holding exclusive distribution rights.
The technology was found feasible for the proposed plant at Brahmapuram capable of processing about 500 tonnes of solid waste daily, they said.
Household waste, including plastic, is put through a huge shredder and reduced to small pieces about 10 centimetres in size, as part of the process.
Ferrous and non-ferrous metals are separated before the waste goes through a grinder to reduce it even further.
The ecocycle process grinds trash down into tiny particles, mixes it with hazardous waste, locks it all together with an additive and pumps it out as very fine pellets of non-waste material. Household waste, toxic waste and industrial waste could be turned into clean and reusable materials using this technology
It is reliably learnt that three companies in Germany will be involved in the setting up of the plant, once the government gives its approval for the technology.
Sources in the Department of Local Self Government pointed out that the government would adopt the ‘swiss challenge approach' for implementing the new technology. A private sector participant had already submitted a suo motu proposal for implementing the cold mineralisation process.
The new plant would function on a build-own-operate mode.
According to the proposed guidelines, the plant will be set up as a public-private partnership project.
The government will fix the lease period for operating the plant and will not have any financial liability over the project.
