Kerala to set up 17 new waste processing plants in a year

The Hindu

31-07-2025

Kerala Minister for Local Self-Governments M.B. Rajesh on Thursday (July 31, 2025) announced the State government's ambitious plans to set up waste processing plants over the next one year to address the gaps in handling biodegradable and nonbiodegradable waste.
The Local Self-government (LSG) department and its allied agencies will be setting up six new refuse derived fuel (RDF) plants to handle non-recyclable, non-biodegradable waste, four plants to handle sanitary waste and seven compressed biogas (CBG) plants to handle biodegradable waste.
The announcement regarding sanitary waste plants is significant as many residents, especially in the cities, have been finding it hard to dispose of used sanitary pads and diapers from bed-ridden patients.
While the land has been identified for all the plants, the works of some of these plants have already been completed.
Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Rajesh said four sanitary waste processing plants with capacity to process 100 tonnes of sanitary waste daily will be set up in the next six months. Two of the plants will be in north Kerala, while one each will be in central and South Kerala.
Earlier plan unsuccessful
He said the earlier plan to set up such plants was not successful, with only five local bodies implementing the project. The rest of the local bodies have been asked to freeze the tendering process in view of the new plants.
The CBG plants to process biodegradable waste are being set up as there is a huge gap that needs to be addressed, he said.
As per a recent survey, only 26.5% of the households in Kerala have facilities to treat waste at source. The government is considering a reduction of 5% in property tax for those who set up such facilities as kitchen bin composting at home. The 150-tonne capacity CBG plants will meet the needs of the remaining population as well as the bulk waste generators.
While Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is cooperating in the setting up of CBG plants, some of the other projects will be implemented in partnership with private agencies. The work on the CBG plant in Kochi has been completed, while the process of setting up plants in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram has begun. The electronic waste collection drive, which had begun in urban local bodies, will be expanded across the State from September.
'Local bodies in the State have vastly improved their rankings in the Union government's Swachh Survekshan this year. With the waste treatment plants becoming a reality, we will further improve our standings,' he said.
Doorstep collection
Mr. Rajesh said Haritha Karma Sena will be asked to increase the frequency of doorstep collection of plastic waste. The government is planning to implement a scholarship programme for students who carry out activities related to waste management and sanitation. A scholarship of ₹1,500 each for 50,000 students across all local bodies in the State is being considered. The project will be implemented after discussions with the General Education department.