A 150-ton per day windrow compost factory with new construction plans by Kochi Corporation has been announced for Brahmapuram. In January of this year, the project received government approval.

“We had informed the government that it will take years to complete the waste-to-energy plant project, and therefore a new windrow compost plant is necessary,” said Kochi Mayor M Anilkumar at a press conference.

The Kerala Solid Waste Management Project has received the comprehensive project report for technical approval (KSWMP). “Once we receive the sanction from KSWMP and approval from the council, we will call for a tender. The windrow compost plant will follow a similar model to Pune Municipal Corporation’s composting system,” said a senior official of Kochi Corporation.

The corporation intends to process waste at the source in order to decrease the amount of rubbish delivered to Brahmapuram. With 80 tonnes coming from within Kochi Corporation's boundaries and the remaining 120 tonnes coming from other municipalities and panchayats, the corporation hopes to reduce the daily waste transferred to Brahmapuram to 150 tonnes.

“To achieve this, the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Associations will need to associate with private waste collection agencies. These agencies will collect waste from designated points and either treat it in their plants or transport it to pig or poultry farms. Kochi Corporation will monitor the process,” the official said.

For gated communities and flats, agencies like CREDAI can help build ferrocement-based composting units or fibre composting bins. The Haritha Karma Sena will begin collecting household waste that has been separated and bringing it to collection locations on April 1, 2023. The Clean Kerala Corporation will receive the plastic waste, and biowaste will be transported to Brahmapuram. To penalise those who dump trash on roads, the organisation aims to deploy 450 CCTV cameras around its boundaries.

Bio-waste management unit in Edappally

In Edappally, the first ward-level bio-waste management unit for the city has begun operations. On Sunday, C N Mohan, district secretary for CPIM, officially opened the unit. At the Edappally Kunnumpuram Division, four aerobic composts based on the Thumboormuzhi model have been installed.
The composted garbage will be used as fertiliser in the adjacent agricultural areas.

If similar compost units begin operating in each division of the Kochi Corporation, the amount of garbage placed in the Brahmapuram windrow compost facility can be decreased.

Ambika Sudarshanan, a councillor, took the initiative to install the compost in the division in less than a week. Also, numerous council members have stepped up to establish similar composts in different parts of the city.

Key points

It will be built in Brahmapuram and have a 150-ton daily capacity.
A DPR has been submitted to the Kerala Solid Waste Management Project for technical approval.
The facility's design will be similar to that of the Pune Municipal Corporation.
The corporation also intends to put in 450 CCTV cameras all across its boundaries.

See also:
Waste to wealth plants in cities with a population of million plus
Bhubaneswar civic body to establish construction waste processing unit