The Kochi Corporation is yet to clear a proposal of Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) to use residue waste yielded after bio-mining of municipal solid waste at its dumping yard at Brahmapuram as manure for plants and ornamental flowers in medians maintained by the metro agency.
The delay in clearing the proposal is hampering efforts to clear processed waste from the site. KMRL had asked for nearly 500 tonnes of residue waste.
A senior official of the corporation said the proposal was yet to come up before the council. It was initially placed before the health standing committee.
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The regional committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal had earlier suggested that officials of local bodies could visit the Sembakkam lake in Tamil Nadu, which had turned into a municipal solid waste dumping yard, to study its restoration through bio-mining.
Bio-mining at Brahmapuram was launched in consultation with the Kerala State Pollution Control Board.
Bio-mining includes segregation of waste to separate sand that can be used for agriculture and dry waste that will be sent to cement factories to be used as fuel. The land becomes vacant after completion of the entire process. It can then be used for executing other projects.
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In bio-mining, loosened layers of old waste are sprayed with composting bio-cultures. The waste is sterilised and stabilised, and using machinery, segregated into organic and inorganic substances, which are later sent for recycling, re-use, or composting. Aggregates such as coconut shells, plastic, wood, rubber, glass, and soil enriching bio-earth are collected. While coconut shells and wood are sold as fuel, rubber and glass are sent for recycling.