The same day, a 5-year investigation by NYT revealed that the plant, which incinerates about 2,000 t of solid waste daily, is polluting air, land and water in and around Delhi’s Okhla area.
Along with other reports, the investigation shows that from 2019 to 2023, 150 samples from around the plant and dumping site contained hazardous metals and persistent organic pollutants like dioxins at levels 10x permissible limits.
Prolonged exposure can lead to kidney, lung and bone diseases. We are possibly looking at serious regulatory violations, even as the plant earns carbon credits.
WTE plants have been controversial. There is no waste-sorting at source, forcing waste to be burnt unsorted, high-moisture and low-calorie, thereby requiring additional energy to combust. This makes WTE plants inefficient and economically unviable minus subsidies.
The calorific value of Indian waste is between 1,411 and 2,150 kcal/kg, far lower than in developed countries. The US has not opened a new incinerator since 1997 due to local resistance. In the EU, better waste management strategies mean there’s sufficient waste for incinerators.For India, hankering for ‘developed’ status, the solution lies not in the false ‘jugaad’ of WTE plants but in getting basics right: segregating waste at source, encouraging localised recycling and understanding Indian waste composition.
And, above all, prioritising the health of communities instead of running ‘greenwashing machines’.
