‘Waste to Energy plants in Hyderabad fail to meet WHO standards’

Civil society, political, environmental organisations and local communities have come together to raise their voice against the waste to energy (WTE) plants in Jawaharnagar and Dundigal, saying they grossly violated the standards prescribed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Citing from a report by the Central Pollution Control Board submitted to the National Green Tribunal, the organisations, through a joint statement, said the cadmium levels in the fly ash released by the Jawaharnagar plant stood at 858.65 milligrams per kilogram, over 1,073 times higher compared to the WHO’s permissible limit of 0.8 mg/kg.

Chromium levels at 230.31 mg/kg too is far above WHO’s safe threshold, the statement said, and pointed out that instead of being used for brick-making or sent to a secured landfill as mandated by the Consent to Operate, the fly ash is being dumped openly at the Jawaharnagar dump site, creating a severe hazard for surrounding communities.

Similarly, at the Dundigal WTE the cadmium levels are 956.69 mg/kg which is over 1,195 times higher than the WHO permissible limits and this ash is also dumped in the Jawaharnagar dumpsite.

“These revelations come amid a nationwide campaign opposing the reclassification of WTE incinerators from the Red Category to the Blue Category of industries. Under the guise of providing ‘essential environmental services’, WTE plants are being misleadingly labeled ‘Blue’,” the statement noted.

Notably, WTEs have a pollution index of 97.6, the highest among all industries now placed in the so-called Blue Category, making this re-categorisation a direct threat to environmental safety and public health, it said.

The organisations demanded that the TGPCB immediately suspend the WTE operations in Hyderabad until safe disposal norms are met, and that a substantial environmental compensation be levied on the operators and a show-cause notice be issued for the violations.

An independent investigation into the handling of fly ash and its impacts on the surrounding communities, and a clear road map to move away from WTE incineration towards systemic transformations in waste management were other demands. .

Anti-Dumping Yard Joint Action Committee, Jawaharnagar, Navodaya Welfare Society, CNR Colony Welfare Association, Bahujana Satta, Climate Front Hyderabad, Dalit Bahujan Front, Forum Against Economic and Environmental Injustice Towards Marginalised Communities, NAPM Telangana, Progressive Organisation for Women, IFTU were the signatories to the statement.