Relevance: GS III (Science & Tech – Energy / Environment) | Source: The Hindu
1. The Concept: Solving Two Problems at Once
Waste-to-Energy (WtE) is a technology designed to tackle two major urban headaches simultaneously: Overflowing Landfills and Energy Shortage.
- The Process: Instead of dumping non-recyclable trash into a landfill where it rots and releases methane, WtE plants process it to generate Electricity or Heat.
- The Impact: These facilities can reduce the physical volume of waste by nearly 90%, significantly extending the life of city landfills.
2. How Does It Work? (The Technologies)
The article highlights three main methods:
- Incineration (Burning): The most common method. Trash is burned at high temperatures to boil water, create steam, and turn turbines. Risks: If not filtered, it can release toxic Dioxins.
- Gasification: Instead of burning, waste is heated with very little oxygen. This doesn’t produce smoke but converts the solid waste into a combustible gas called Syngas (Synthetic Gas).
- Biomethanation (Anaerobic Digestion): Best for wet/organic waste (like food scraps). Bacteria break down the waste in the absence of oxygen to produce Biogas (Methane) and bio-fertilizer.
3. The Challenge in India
While WtE works well in Europe, it faces hurdles in India due to the nature of our waste.
- Low Calorific Value: Indian waste has high moisture (wet food waste) and high inert content (dust/sand).
- The Problem: Wet waste doesn’t burn well. Without strict Segregation at Source, mixed waste lowers the efficiency of incinerators, often requiring extra fuel just to burn the trash.
UPSC Value Box
| Concept / Rule | Relevance for Prelims |
| Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) | A fuel produced by shredding and dehydrating solid waste (plastics, paper). It has a high calorific value and is often used in cement kilns or power plants as a substitute for coal. |
| Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 | The primary legal framework in India. It mandates Segregation at Source (Wet, Dry, Hazardous) and encourages the use of RDF to reduce landfill burden. |
| Dioxins & Furans | Highly toxic chemical compounds (Persistent Organic Pollutants) often released during the burning of plastic or chlorinated waste. Modern WtE plants use “scrubbers” to trap them. |
Q. With reference to Waste-to-Energy technologies, consider the following statements:
- Gasification is a process that converts organic or fossil-based carbonaceous materials into carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide.
- Incineration involves the combustion of organic substances contained in waste materials.
- Biomethanation is an aerobic process used primarily for the treatment of dry, inorganic waste.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer: (b)
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