The Kerala State Pollution Control Board is likely to recommend that the Kochi Corporation need not set up a mega compost production plant at Brahmapuram. This is following an inference that the total volume of biodegradable waste generated in the city would not exceed 150 tonnes a day.
The agency is expected to suggest that the civic body could come up with a mechanical compost plant capable of processing the actual waste generated in the city everyday.
Reliable sources in PCB pointed out that the senior officials had already made it clear that the civic body could limit the quantity of solid waste to be processed at the temporary facility in Brahmapuram to 50 tonnes.
The board wants to avoid a situation where the agency entrusted with processing the waste refuses to operate the plant citing insufficient supply of waste.
Preliminary investigations by PCB confirmed that the projected estimate of about 350 tonnes of waste a day was ‘inflated'.
The board is likely to recommend a detailed study to ascertain the exact amount of solid waste generated in the city.
Sources said that the board would give its clearance only after receiving a detailed project report carrying all relevant information on the proposed plant.
It will recommend that an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) should be done before approving the project taking into account the geographical and other environmental details of the proposed site.
The board will also suggest that the clearance will be given only after getting a detailed environment management plan and risk assessment report.
Technical details like Threshold Odour Number, Filth Density Index and Environment Performance Evaluation (EPE) will also be verified.
Other recommendations include a scientific land development plan to be implemented in the region and setting up a strong boundary that would prevent the leakage of leachate from the site.
Against landfill
The board has categorically pointed out that the site could not be turned into a landfill considering the experience of the now-defunct plant and its operational method adopted there.
Investigations conducted by the Pollution Control Board found that only five per cent of the waste taken to the plant after its installation was used for composting, triggering several health and environmental issues in the region.
KOCHI, September 11, 2011
The Hindu
