Waste from Tirupur to fuel Coimbatore cement plant

The non-biodegradable waste generated in Tirupur, India, will be delivered to a cement plant on the outskirts of Coimbatore, following the signing of a letter of intent by Tirupur’s city corporation with ACC.
Around 30tpd of non-biodegradable waste will be supplied to ACC’s cement plant in Madukarai as an alternative to firewood.

However, as waste segregation at micro-level has been poor, the corporation is planning to increase awareness among residents and commercial outfits to segregate waste at source.

“With only a few bulk waste producers having taken steps to segregate waste at source, the corporation is struggling to segregate them. Presently, waste is being dumped in unused stone quarries,” said a corporation official.“With the corporation now signing letter of intent with the ACC cement plant, it could send non-biodegradable waste for recycling,” said city health officer, K Boopathy. “A multinational company has signed a contract to dispose waste at the factory. It will use state-of-art technology to dispose them without affecting the environment,” the health officer added. “Around 48tpd of plastic waste are generated in the city corporation limits. Sanitary workers could sell high-value plastics and keep the cash, as per the direction given by the commissionerate of municipal administration. Remaining low-value plastics and other non-biodegradable wastes including rubber and glasses would be sent to the plant,” he said. He added, “Initially, 15t waste will be sent to the cement factory on Thursday and Friday.”