In India, the organic waste fraction varies between 45 and 50 per cent of the total solid waste streams. How is the country managing this waste stream currently? Sarang Bhand, Managing Director of India-based Organic Recycling Systems, said there has been a lot of progress in waste management and Compressed Biogas (CBG) promotion, post the Swachh Bharat initiative and SATAT Scheme (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) of the Government of India. “Segregation capabilities have increased collection and treatment of organic fractions have improved. Yet, there is a long way to go,” Bhand said, adding that Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are still viewing composting as the only method to treat organic waste.

Fifteen years ago, the focus was primarily on thermal treatment technologies and incineration, he said. The calorific value of waste was low and inconsistent as segregation was lacking. This was also hampering the thermal treatment processes, he noted. Organic Recycling Systems developed its patented technology called DRYAD, which uses the biological process of thermophilic biomethanation to produce biogas and fertilizers as products out of organic waste. The biogas thus produced is converted into power. “At the same time, we developed an exhaustive mechanical segregation line to separate the organic fraction of waste from the incoming mixed waste. So the remnant that come out of this sorting system has high calorific value,” Bhand explained, recollecting the time when ORS forayed into the sector as a technology provider. In 2013, ORS constructed an integrated MSW processing plant in Solapur, which was the first in India with the ability to segregate waste into organic and inorganic fractions. “ORS is one of the early proponents of anaerobic digestion (AD) in India.”

Talking about the initiatives taken by the government, he said, “There has been a continuous push from the Central Government to all State governments to promote source segregation, to facilitate ULB’s with enough budget to mobilize source segregation infrastructure and to set up processing plants.”

“There is an increased awareness about anaerobic digestion and biomethanation. The focus of the larger ULBs is shifting towards setting up Compressed Biogas (CBG) plants because there is a requirement for CBG uptake under the SATAT guidelines. With CNG prices rising, it is, naturally, a lucrative proposition to divert resources towards CBG,” he said.

Talking about the challenges, Bhand said, “One of the main challenges in managing organic waste is inefficient collection. While the waste is segregated at the domestic level, it gets mixed up when it eventually reaches the dumpyard or processing site from the transfer station.”

He also drew our attention to the lack of skilled manpower. “Anaerobic digestion technology is not just about installing machinery, it involves a biochemical process. It warrants process understanding. But there is a shortage of skilled manpower. So if we have to push biomethanisation in the country, there has to be a capacity augmentation on trained manpower as well as trained operators for anaerobic digestion.” The government is currently adopting GPS and RFID-based tracking systems to improve efficiency through real time monitoring systems when it comes to collection of organic waste.

“Further, we have to develop a technology to enable predictive response. We have to tap into the potential of IoT-integrated technology and Artificial Intelligence to develop systems to enable this,” he noted.

Bhand called for regulations to streamline and standardize safety mechanisms and quality of output from AD. “A lot of rudimentary technologies are also being experimented within the AD space, and a lot of players are mushrooming in this sector. So there is a need for standardization as well.” Talking about waste management infrastructure, he said, “With Swachch Bharat mission guidelines in place, there is some positive progress on the ground. There is dedicated budget allocation to increase the capacity of processing plants as well as to clear the existing dumping sites. New bioremediation guidelines are also being reviewed by the state and central government. Under this, funds will be allocated for remedial of landfills.”

The UAE scenario

 The UAE has witnessed a tremendous rise in population. As a result, the number of hotels, supermarkets, and restaurants has also soared. Food waste has, thus, increased substantially, said Mathew Tharakan, Managing Director, Emvees Wastewater Treatment LLC. “Earlier, all types of waste were going to the landfills but now the government has rightfully clamped it down. It now has strict rules to manage organic waste. Organic waste is to be treated and there are landfilling restrictions too.”

Unlike other components of household waste such as metals, glass and paper, organic waste is considered low-value and is rarely collected by the informal sector or businesses for recycling or processing. “This leads to its large fraction in municipal solid waste, the cost and difficulty of transportation and the land required for processing. Rotting organic waste is often responsible for the foul smell in bins, vehicles and disposal facilities. That’s the nature of this waste stream.”

The best way to deal with organic waste is to decentralize the entire operation, said Tharakan. “Take it into a big facility, decentralize the fraction as much as possible into small units and then take out whatever is needed. Because you can’t have a composting system right in the middle of the city, technology plays a major role in dealing with this waste.” Investing in the right tested and proven technology is also important, he said, adding. “Emvees supplies an equipment called Bio Thermic Digester (BTD) that reduces food waste by 90% to 95% and the end product can be directly used as soil conditioner.”

The biggest challenges in managing organic waste are collection of waste and its mixed nature, he said, adding “Organic waste is more often than not converted into compost or fertilizer. Separating organic waste is not an easy task.” Explaining the technology behind Emvees’ equipment, he said, Bio Thermic Digester (BTD) utilises heat and some strains of bacteria to reduce the volumes and bring it down in size. “The heat within the BTD chambers (up to 50-60 C) also sterilises the end product, ensuring complete absence of bacteria. Thus, the end product can be used directly after treatment.”