UPDATE

Toxics Link conducted a national conference on Waste to Energy on 30th March 2015 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The conference focused on the viability of the waste to energy plants in the context of India. Mr. Ravi Agrawal, Director, Toxics Link in his inaugural speech pointed out that the engagement with people is not much and public debate is very narrow on the issue of waste-to-Energy. Capacity building of Municipal Corporation is also lacking.

He stressed on reducing overall health environment risk from waste. He also highlighted other issues such as: option of putting big centralized plant to reduce overall exposure throughout the waste chain needs to be explored; waste hierarchy and different ways of collecting waste should also be in place; increasing dioxin efficiency, reducing centralized way of emission control, waste profile data are all needed to be worked out and effect of multiple exposure sites like dump site, recycling site, segregation site on environment and health should also be reduced. Special address was made by Dr. Dieter Mutz, Director, GIZ, where he shared experience of Germany on developing waste policy and compared with the Indian scenario.

Dr. Mutz briefed about the various technologies available for Waste to Energy and their viability in the Indian context. Technical details, preparedness of SPCBs, Industrial stand on the issue were also discussed and presented during the conference. The conference was attended by officials from ministry, municipal corporations, and State Pollution Control Board, professors from institutes, industry representatives, EU delegates and NGOs.