Hyderabad Converts 9,000 Tonnes of Daily Waste into Energy and Compost, Drives Sustainability

Hyderabad is leading waste-to-energy technology by converting 9000 tonnes of daily waste into electricity, compost and renewable resources, reported The Better India.

Re Sustainability (earlier known as Ramky Enviro Engineers), one of Asia’s largest environmental services companies, manages the process where combustible waste is turned into refuse-derived fuel (RDF). This RFD powers waste-to-energy plants or is sold to cement companies for used in their kilns. The inert waste, which has a low calorific value, is sent to a landfill.

The city has undergone a massive transformation and driving this change is a systematic network of waste transfer stations, where small vehicles, known locally as ‘swachh autos’, deliver waste collected from households. The waste is then compressed and transported to Jawahar Nagar for processing, which is located around 50 kilometres away.

Masood Mallick, Managing Director and CEO of Re Sustainability, told Mint, “Almost all the municipal waste that Hyderabad generates is collected and processed,” and further highlighted, “The city started its scientific waste management journey 25 years ago. Today, it leads the nation not just in waste management but also in exploring new business models, developing technologies and incubating various innovations in this space.”

Environmental and Health Risks

Toxic gas emissions from landfills like methane, NOx, SO2, VOCs, CO2, PM, HC, pose a serious threat to both the environment and human health. Some studies have shown that the toxic gases released from landfill sites are even responsible for the lung and heart diseases in humans.

According to a study published in International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT), landfills generate a toxic soup known as leachate, formed when the waste is subjected to biological and physiochemical transformation process. Leachate is highly toxic and causes the land and groundwater pollution.

As India aims to achieve net-zero status by 2070, it is important that this goal in mitigation of pollution is achieved through effective waste management not just in Hyderabad, but across cities nationwide.

According to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), sustainable waste management is essential for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including universal access to basic services and fostering inclusive urbanisation. Effective waste management can reduce environmental impacts and promote circular economies in cities.