Kochi Corporation in Kerala faces huge biomedical waste backlog as incinerator capacity is reduced

Household collection of biomedical waste within the Kochi city limits is only slowly returning to normalcy after the Corporation accumulated a backlog of nearly 60 tonnes after one of the two incinerators at the Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facility (CBWTF) of Kerala Enviro Infrastructure Limited (KEIL) remained shut for 15 days last month.

Though the incinerator is back in operation, KEIL has restricted intake from the Corporation to three tonnes a day, down from five tonnes, as it prioritises hospital waste. To compound matters, one of the two incinerators commissioned by the Corporation at Brahmapuram, with a combined capacity of three tonnes a day, developed a snag during its trial run.

“The company operating the incinerators is working to restore the unit at the earliest. They have also expressed interest in collecting biomedical waste directly, which the Corporation will consider after convening a special council to rescind its earlier decision to handle disposal on its own during the crisis. This was after realising that it may lead to audit objections,” said Mayor V.K. Minimol.

App-based platforms

The Corporation currently employs Aakri and Suchigo, mobile app-based platforms, for doorstep collection. Aakri remains the dominant player, handling nearly five tonnes daily, while Suchigo has been entrusted with 500 kg for now.

“We are able to dispose of only three tonnes at the KEIL facility, while the operator of the Brahmapuram incinerator has begun accepting 1.5 tonnes a day since last week,” said G. Chandrasekhar, CEO of Aakri.

N.K. Pillai, CEO of KEIL, said that if Aakri and Suchigo reach a consensus, they could share the capacity reserved for Corporation waste at KEIL. The facility has a total capacity of 16 tonnes across two incinerators and an autoclave, of which five tonnes are earmarked for civic waste.

N.V. Sreejith, founder-director of Suchigo, said the company could scale up to three tonnes a day in due course. “We have been collecting nearly one tonne of biomedical waste from neighbouring municipalities and panchayats and disposing of it at an incinerator in Thrissur,” he added.

During a recent council meeting, councillors Priya Prashanth and S. Sasikala complained of irregular collection of household biomedical waste and alleged cancellations of bookings without notice, which had caused considerable public resentment.