Indian biogas industry can help reduce waste at landfill sites by 50 pc: IBA

Indian Biogas Association (IBA), an industry body of operators, manufacturers, and planners of biogas plants, on Thursday, said that the biogas industry can help reduce waste landing at landfill sites by almost 50 percent in the next three years.

The per capita generation of waste in India stands at 0.4 kg, out of which roughly 50 percent is organic and can be potentially diverted to biogas plants, stated IBA in a statement.

According to it, the estimated waste generated in India is roughly 2.5 lakh metric tonnes per day, and presently over 85 percent out of the total generated organic waste reaches landfill sites. This waste leads to the production of hazardous gases like Methane, and Carbon dioxide, Ammonia, and Hydrogen sulfide and is a great concern for human health and the environment.

Several types of research show that people living closer to landfill sites suffer from medical conditions such as asthma, diarrhea, stomach pain, recurring flu, cholera, malaria, cough, skin irritation, cholera, and diarrhea more than the people living far away from landfills sites, it added.

The Indian biogas industry can be instrumental in reducing compostable waste in various states.

At present, the industry is using a minuscule fraction of the highly potent organically degradable waste across the country for generating biogas/ bio CNG/CNG. The biogas industry can contribute significantly to the reduction of this waste if the scheduled commissioning of plants across India undertakes on time.

As of now, there are around 200 odd biogas/CBG plants with a processing capacity of approximately 20,000 metric tonnes per day of all kinds of potential organic waste including MSW and other wastes like industrial waste and agro-residues, that are commissioned or in different stages of plant installation across India under various government schemes like a waste to energy scheme of MNRE and Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.

Dr. A R Shukla, President of, Indian Biogas Association said, ''The kind of waste, which lands in waste disposing sites if utilized well, could help India meet a considerable fraction of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction commitments at the global level.

“Biogas industry can be a game-changer, particularly in helping metro cities fight the waste management issue by almost 50 percent of the waste generated is compostable and can be used by our industry. The government can help the industry by providing much-needed support in the form of subsidies.” Further, there are more than 2000 pending new biogas plants, if these are commissioned within the targeted time, they can not only lead to a better environment for the younger generation but can also help reduce the import bill of the government, noted.

''Biogas industry can help reduce yearly import bill by Rs 1.1 lakh crore post commissioning of the proposed government target of 5,000 biogas plants,'' he added.

Established in 2011, the IBA is the first nationwide and professional biogas association for operators, manufacturers, and planners of biogas plants, and representatives from public policy, science, and research in India.

The association is working with the German Biogas Association to foster the development of the Biogas sector in India.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)