Kochi | Waste Disposal and Cleanliness

[Kochi Resident]

Kochi is a city which is facing acute waste problems. I thought there needs to be a new thread for Kochi. We also need to have updates on how the waste disposal goes on.

[Kochi Resident]

Is the waste disposal problems now much better after ' Environ Green' Any idea anyone?
Kochi company hits pay dirt with garbage
M K Sunil Kumar, TNN Aug 23, 2012, 01.28AM IST


Tags:
Garbage|bio-manure
KOCHI: Finally, there seems to be a solution in sight for the state's urgent, and seemingly intractable, garbage problem. The success of Environ Green, a Kochi-based firm, entrusted with processing garbage piled up at the Brahmapuram solid waste treatment plant, can be a model for the rest of Kerala. The firm is set to close a deal with a Dubai company for exporting bio-manure produced from treating waste.

"The Dubai-based company which caters to the demands of Dubai and Oman is willing to buy 550 tonnes of bio-manure," said A A Byju, managing director, Environ Green. The firm is currently trying to expedite formalities related to import licences.


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Kochi Corporation, too, is enthused with the project. ''We will provide all support to Environ Green for getting clearances for export,'' said Kochi mayor Tony Chammany, who was all praise for the company's credentials. "After we entrusted the firm with the duty of treating waste in February, they cleared 80% backlog of around one lakh tonnes. The manure generated is being sold at Rs 4 per kilo. There are orders from other states like Karnataka as well,'' Chammany added.

Interestingly, once the current backlog of 20,000 tonnes is cleared at the Brahmapuram plant, there will be demand for, hold your nose, more garbage. "We have sought the support of Kochi Corporation to get more waste from neighbouring municipalities. We expect to get garbage from Thrikkakara municipality from next month. Even if the entire waste from all municipalities in the district is brought it will come to roughly 250 tonnes a day while what we require is 400 tonnes,'' explained Byju.

Not all bio-manure produced at the plant is, however, exported.

Environ Green is concerned about the local environment too. The firm has planted around 3,500 plantain trees on five acres of land adjoining the plant and has started paddy cultivation in another 2.5 acres also.

[DileepKS]

If the politicos and babus just abstain from taking kickbacks, the garbage can be easily and cleanly processed with existing infra.

Brahmapuram failed because it was not "a few black lentils". The whole lot was "black lentil". The powers became sooo greedy that there was no money left to build the facility.

[Kochi Resident]

There was an agency called 'Environ Green' which started taking up waste from Brahmapuram and using the same for productive purposes. Have they been successful

Originally Posted by DileepKS

If the politicos and babus just abstain from taking kickbacks, the garbage can be easily and cleanly processed with existing infra.

Brahmapuram failed because it was not "a few black lentils". The whole lot was "black lentil". The powers became sooo greedy that there was no money left to build the facility.

[DileepKS]

No idea.

They sold manure by the sack at Rs 200 per 50kg sack. A lot of people went and bought. My in-laws bought one bag. It was good. There is enough market for the stuff, so it can be a self sustaining business. What it can not be, is a graft sustaining business. You can't make a profit after paying huge graft.

The problem with Brahmapuram is the stink. Not only the physical stink, but also the political stink. All the parties took part in it, so everyone is trying to throw some soil on top and pray that the stink doesn't escape. Even the papers are keeping quiet these days.

[Malayaali]

Railways to help city treat waste

The Kochi City Corporation is tying up with the Railways to channel the city’s non-degradable waste and construction debris for construction activities of the Railways.

This waste can be used as a filler for the construction of platforms and other development works.

Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation, which has severe garbage management issues, has already tied up with the Railways for the use of plastic waste.

The State Suchitwa mission has sent a letter to the Kochi Corporation asking it to give the non-degradable waste to the Railways.

“The proposal will be a great relief to the corporation. Once implemented, we will be able to provide a sizable amount of non-degradable garbage to the Railways.

This will ease the burden on the solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram,” said T.K. Ashraf, chairman, health standing committee.

The city generates more than 380 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day, of which a considerable quantity is plastic and other non-degradable waste.

If the Railway takes care of this waste, it will help the cash-strapped civic body to save the considerable amount of money spent for capping at the Brahmapuram plant.

“The Railways will use the trash to reconstruct the platforms at Ernakulam south and Aluva stations. The corporation will transport the garbage to the station premises.

Though transportation cost is involved, expense for capping at Brahmapuram plant can be saved,” added Mr Ashraf.

The corporation council has approved the proposal and the plastic waste will be moved out once the modalities are finalised.

[sree_ec]

In bangalore BBMP recently started a campaign to segregate waste at source itself and they have asked residents to implement it. I dont know whether it is mandatory, but in my flat and office, we have already started implementing it. I think it is high time that Kochi also starts doing the same and Corporation should create some awareness among kochites for this. BBMP has done a very good job in the same

[DileepKS]

So, you can segregate the waste into two packs and throw them at two separate street corners?

The first problem is collection. Segregation is valid only after you ensure collection.

[sree_ec]

Originally Posted by DileepKS

So, you can segregate the waste into two packs and throw them at two separate street corners?

The first problem is collection. Segregation is valid only after you ensure collection.

Should be better than throwing it together, any day.. Isnt it?

Lets do some things what we can do...

[Malayaali]

First of all, let the authorities install a waste bin at least every 100m.

Here in UAE, we see waste bins for each item, like Plastics, Paper, Food waste etc., all kept together so that waste is segregated right from the source. But all up to people to use it as desired.

[DileepKS]

Originally Posted by sree_ec

Should be better than throwing it together, any day.. Isnt it?

Lets do some things what we can do...

Well, if the corporation makes designated areas where one can throw food waste, and another area where one can throw plastic waste, there is no problem. People would gladly throw the stuff.

Here, you have to do the throwing on the sly, being scared of 'watchers'. So, segregating won't be a good priority, over trying not to get beaten up.

The other day, as I came back from the fish market in the morning, I found a parcel of waste thrown right next to my compound wall. I had to take it and 'process it' along with my own stuff, because if I leave it there, tomorrow, there will be ten parcels there. If I take it somewhere and throw it away, it would be ME who gets caught and beaten up.

Just keeping bins isn't enough. You should have sufficient number, with sufficient capacity, at sufficient locations. Otherwise, they will overflow and stink up.

[thanseem]

Originally Posted by DileepKS

So, you can segregate the waste into two packs and throw them at two separate street corners?

The first problem is collection. Segregation is valid only after you ensure collection.

in my city here in japan, we segregate it into burnable rubbish, unburnable rubbish, recyclable plastic/paper, pet bottles..etc and dispose it in plastic carrybags in the nearby yard. for any community, there is a dumping yard at least within 100-200 meters. we have to dump different kinds of waste in stipulated days (like tuesday and friday for burnable rubbish). even we cant see a `kariyila`on the roads, within hours after a typhoon (a pretty frequent visitor here)..and the recycling rate of pet bottles is well over 90%!

[mohammedirshad06]

Compared to many other cities in Kerala, waste management in Kochi have rapidly improved, after the 2005 crisis..... We have Kudumbashree collecting waste on regular basis.... My old home in Ernakulam South and in Thrikkakara I don't find any much issue, as regular collection happens......

In the flat, where I stay now, we have waste management done by Abad itself... There was Garbage chute in the beginning. But within a month, they closed it and distributed 3 small colored buckets to all apartments. Green for Bio-degradable waste, White for Plastics and red for recycleable waste like paper, pencils, cloth waste etc....

The Green bucket will be collected daily or even twice a day if we make a request at Janitor. The White and Red ones are collected in alternate days. Bio degradable waste are collected and deposited in Bio-Bins on roof-top to make it manure... Plastic is collected and taken by Credai's Waste Van which comes once in 2 days. Red ones are deposited in a big box on Roof top room, which which we don't know what they do after that.

The Plastic goes to Ravipuram Shredding unit, to make raw material for road tarring bitumen etc...

For flats, its a good system, as we don't have to bother about waste... But they are very strict about segregation...

[Kochi Resident]

What about Environ Green engaged in bio manure? Are they still not successful? There was a news that they have processed a huge chunk of waste from Brahmapuram. What is the latest status? If anyone could get the updates. Probably their contact number is not available anywhere

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

Compared to many other cities in Kerala, waste management in Kochi have rapidly improved, after the 2005 crisis..... We have Kudumbashree collecting waste on regular basis.... My old home in Ernakulam South and in Thrikkakara I don't find any much issue, as regular collection happens......

In the flat, where I stay now, we have waste management done by Abad itself... There was Garbage chute in the beginning. But within a month, they closed it and distributed 3 small colored buckets to all apartments. Green for Bio-degradable waste, White for Plastics and red for recycleable waste like paper, pencils, cloth waste etc....

The Green bucket will be collected daily or even twice a day if we make a request at Janitor. The White and Red ones are collected in alternate days. Bio degradable waste are collected and deposited in Bio-Bins on roof-top to make it manure... Plastic is collected and taken by Credai's Waste Van which comes once in 2 days. Red ones are deposited in a big box on Roof top room, which which we don't know what they do after that.

The Plastic goes to Ravipuram Shredding unit, to make raw material for road tarring bitumen etc...

For flats, its a good system, as we don't have to bother about waste... But they are very strict about segregation...

[DileepKS]

CREDAI did a fantastic job of instituting proper waste management among their members. As it is, there are no issues with the member flats.

The main problem is the small residences that do not have any place for processing the waste. I have a few square feet of soil to process my stuff, but what about someone who built on a 3 cent land?

Kudumbasree does the collection, but they come only weekly now. You can't depend upon them for bio-waste. The main problem with them is, people are not willing to pay.

Waste processing can be a self sustaining business, with a bit of help from the local admin unit. But it can not support any graft. The problem here is, the politicos want 50% graft.

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by DileepKS

CREDAI did a fantastic job of instituting proper waste management among their members. As it is, there are no issues with the member flats.

The main problem is the small residences that do not have any place for processing the waste. I have a few square feet of soil to process my stuff, but what about someone who built on a 3 cent land?

Kudumbasree does the collection, but they come only weekly now. You can't depend upon them for bio-waste. The main problem with them is, people are not willing to pay.

Waste processing can be a self sustaining business, with a bit of help from the local admin unit. But it can not support any graft. The problem here is, the politicos want 50% graft.

Price also is a factor... For these services in apartment, we need to shell out 2.5 K monthly.... In apartments, you have services of cleaners/sweepers throughout the day. To hire one of them to clean the house, we need to shell out Rs 750 per day.

Life in flats is definitely costly, though we get all these services... What we pay to Kudumbashree is just Rs 250 monthly for waste collection. The quality thus differs.....

To an extend, NGOs along with corporate sponsorship, must work together with Kudumbashree to modernize the waste management. CREDAI model is really good... They should adopt Bio Bins in residential areas. Resident associations must also participate in such process....

[DileepKS]

2.5K monthly? Is that for a 4K sqft penthouse? My 1.4Ksqft 3BHK pays 1.7K only. That is for the entire common expenses, not just the waste collection. This include common area lighting, garden, lift, sewage treatment, water pump/treatment etc. The component of solid waste management in that is pretty low. I have the annual statement from my apt lying around at home, and I sure can dig out what they spend.

What we should recognize is that a small family living in a shack generates almost the same amount of bio waste as a similar family living in a posh bungalow or an apartment. While the latter would find that paying Rs 100 per month is quite fine to dispose that, the former might prefer to throw it out somewhere.

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by DileepKS

2.5K monthly? Is that for a 4K sqft penthouse? My 1.4Ksqft 3BHK pays 1.7K only. That is for the entire common expenses, not just the waste collection. This include common area lighting, garden, lift, sewage treatment, water pump/treatment etc. The component of solid waste management in that is pretty low. I have the annual statement from my apt lying around at home, and I sure can dig out what they spend.

What we should recognize is that a small family living in a shack generates almost the same amount of bio waste as a similar family living in a posh bungalow or an apartment. While the latter would find that paying Rs 100 per month is quite fine to dispose that, the former might prefer to throw it out somewhere.

The problem with Abad is that, its quite expensive in general. They charge Maintenance fees equally from all its clients. Not based on apartment's sqft.... Infact, at the time of purchase, I was simply guided by its location and quality of construction... I didn't knew, we have to check many other factors, before buying an apartment, including its maintenance costs and other costs..... I now realize this in a hard way.

Yes, 2.5 K is for entire maintenance exps, including common lighting and other amenities... Without knowing much about these costs, during purchase time, we signed for it. I know, there are options available legally.... But anyway, my grandparents are living there and I feel they are able to get more support, in form of security guards or janitors or cleaners, than living alone and managing things individually......

[DileepKS]

Mine is also Abad, another project. My experience had been good with them.

It is my opinion that you shouldn't go cheap on the maintenance. As long as the money is handled by the resident's association with good control, it is OK.

I have relatives living in other apts, who had severe problem because of poor maintenance. My nephew is the secretary at his place, and poor boy is losing hairs faster because of that.

[Kochi Resident]

I saw in Metro Manorama that there is a foul smell in and around Kochi. But Mayor and Brahmapuram authorities have claimed that it is not from Brahmapuram and that waste treatment is going on in full swing and being converted to manure. One thing to cheer about is that the waste treatment is going on well and it seems it is the best waste treatment plant in Kerala.

In short we can cheer about that waste treatment is going on well in Brahmapuram. But this foul smell which is likely to cause diseases is a real problem