Urban News

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is all set to invite tenders for the electronic waste (e-waste) processing plant within the metropolitan region. The authority has shortlisted five sites for the processing unit at either Taloja or Vasai.

To be set up on a public-private partnership model, the plant will have comprehensive facilities to collect, transport and recover precious metals from e-waste and for safe treatment. The MMRDA is in the process of preparing the bid documents. “A transaction advisor will be appointed soon after which the tenders will be floated in around a month’s time,” said M R Shah, principal advisor, Solid Waste Management Cell, MMRDA.

The authority has shortlisted four plots in Taloja and one in Vasai. Through the bids, it may also allow private players to choose the plot for the processing unit. “There will be only one plot for the unit, but we will give options to the interested players to choose from the five locations,” added Shah. Shah, a former chief engineer with the BMC’s solid waste management department, said the project, barring the land component, is estimated to cost Rs 80 crore.

Currently, India produces 50,000 tonnes of e-waste annually which is expected to rise to 8 lakh tonnes by 2012.

The MMRDA is expecting 60 per cent e-waste from corporate sector and institutions and the rest from domestic sector. Currently, e-waste generated from household or IT parks are sold to junk dealers or auctioned. Shah added, “Once the regulation is brought in, people will gradually send it to the proper authority. Officials said civic bodies would also be roped in to collect waste from the domestic sector. 

A study by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has highlighted an alarming projection of e-waste generation in the region — over 50,000 tonnes of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) by 2015. The figure was 20,000 tonnes in 2007. The International Resources Group (IRG) System South Asia Pvt Ltd, which carried out the feasibility study, had found an e-waste processing plant “highly feasible” in the area.

Taloja to be regional waste landfill site

The MMRDA that was scouting for a plot for a common regional landfill site across the MMR has now zeroed in on a plot in Taloja. The site would be used to dump and scientifically treat waste generated from the seven municipal corporations and 13 municipal councils of the MMR as space available within the areas of these councils and corporations has almost saturated.

“We have finalised the plot at Taloja. It is a 107-hectare plot of the state government. The process of transferring the plot is already under way. Other sites could be added depending on the demand and response to the project,” said M R Shah, principal advisor of the Solid Waste Management Cell of MMRDA. Along with Taloja, MMRDA had shortlisted plots at Bhiwandi on Mumbai-Nashik Highway (52 hectares), Shilphata near Kalyan Road (269 hectares).

According to Shah, the administration also faces lack of expertise to deal with landfill sites, long-term planning and finance. The site would cater to waste produced form the MMR’s municipal corporations and councils for a span of at least 25 to 30 years.