CHENNAI: Food waste from houses and hotels in MRC Nagar and Greenways Road may soon start lighting up the streets. The corporation plans to produce biogas from segregated food waste and use it to power street lights in the area. This is one of the few initiatives the civic body has planned to encourage source segregation.
In ward 173 in Adyar zone, people have begun source segregation. The corporation plans to set up a biogas plant to handle the food waste. "We plan to use the electricity produced to power street lights in the area," said a corporation official.
In ward 173 in Adyar zone, people have begun source segregation. The corporation plans to set up a biogas plant to handle the food waste. "We plan to use the electricity produced to power street lights in the area," said a corporation official.
The ward generates around 22 tonnes of garbage every day, of which at least 50% is organic waste, believe experts. "Looking at the generic waste composition in the area, we assume that at least 10 tonnes would be food waste," said Dharmesh Shah of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, which has partnered with the civic body for the initiative.
Transparent Chennai, an NGO, is mapping waste generated in the ward, which includes Greenways Road, MRC Nagar, Kesavaperumalpuram, Srinivasapuram and Bishop Garden. Experts say the ward has a diverse population curve ranging from fishermen to educated residents to high-profile government officials. "We need to know the level of segregation we can achieve and contamination possibilities," said Daniel Chellapa, senior scientist at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. "We will prepare a detailed report and submit it to the corporation, based on which they can decide how to use the segregated waste."
They intend to work with bulk generators in the ward such as Mayor Ramanathan Chettiar Hall, Hotel Leela Palace and Chettinad Vidyasharam school. The plant will need a capacity of three to five tonnes to generate enough electricity to power street lights.
Experts said a biogas plant needs pure food waste. "We need to ensure we have good quality waste. If there is any contamination, the plant will not work," said Chellapa.
The corporation has decided to focus on school children and teach them the benefits of segregation of garbage.
The corporation plans to produce biogas from food waste to power street lights. This is one of the few initiatives the civic body has planned to encourage source segregation.
Transparent Chennai, an NGO, is mapping waste generated in the ward, which includes Greenways Road, MRC Nagar, Kesavaperumalpuram, Srinivasapuram and Bishop Garden. Experts say the ward has a diverse population curve ranging from fishermen to educated residents to high-profile government officials. "We need to know the level of segregation we can achieve and contamination possibilities," said Daniel Chellapa, senior scientist at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. "We will prepare a detailed report and submit it to the corporation, based on which they can decide how to use the segregated waste."
They intend to work with bulk generators in the ward such as Mayor Ramanathan Chettiar Hall, Hotel Leela Palace and Chettinad Vidyasharam school. The plant will need a capacity of three to five tonnes to generate enough electricity to power street lights.
Experts said a biogas plant needs pure food waste. "We need to ensure we have good quality waste. If there is any contamination, the plant will not work," said Chellapa.
The corporation has decided to focus on school children and teach them the benefits of segregation of garbage.
The corporation plans to produce biogas from food waste to power street lights. This is one of the few initiatives the civic body has planned to encourage source segregation.