The Kerala government has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that there are no gaps in the management of biodegradable waste generated across the State.
The State can manage around 7,600 tonnes of biodegradable waste a day as against the daily generation of 7,300 tonnes. Steps are being taken to strengthen the source-level treatment system in rural areas and to establish centralised facilities in urban areas for management of biodegradable waste, according to the progress report for October 2024 submitted by the government before the Principal Bench of the NGT in a case pertaining to the management of solid and liquid waste.
Of the total 10,076.17 tonnes of waste generated in the State a day, 7398.64 tonnes per day accounted for biodegradable waste, 2,173.72 tonnes for non-biodegradable waste, and 503.81 tonnes for inert waste.
The report said that around 73% of the total quantity of waste generated was organic waste, while the amount of inorganic waste was about 22%. Various composting devices and biogas units are utilised to manage wet waste at source. The compost produced from household waste treatment is used as fertiliser for gardening at individual residences. Approximately 80% of the total biodegradable waste generated is managed at source, while the remaining 20% is handled by community-level facilities operated by local bodies, it said.
The State’s policy on biodegradable waste management focuses on a decentralised approach while laying stress on source-level treatment of biowaste generated by households. This policy encourages the use of composting devices and biogas plants at the household level to process organic waste, thereby reducing the burden on centralised waste management systems, according to the report.
Published - November 13, 2024 07:23 pm IST
