Disposal of sanitary waste has remained a major problem in the State. Many residents, especially in the cities, have been finding it hard to dispose of used sanitary pads and diapers used by bedridden patients. Now, the State government is planning to set up 34 dual chamber incinerators across the State under the second phase of the ongoing Malinya Muktha Nava Keralam project. Minister for Local Self-Governments M.B. Rajesh told The Hindu that the incinerators will come up in all districts.
“We will have at least one or two such plants in each district. A cluster of local bodies in each area can be formed and sanitary waste from these can be processed in one plant. The project is expected to be funded from the Plan funds of the local bodies. We have held discussions with World Bank officials for funding from the Kerala Solid Waste Management Project (KSWMP), but they are more keen on sanitary landfills, for which we need more land,” said Mr. Rajesh.
The single chamber incinerators that existed before were known to release harmful particulate matter into the atmosphere. But, in dual chamber incinerators, the waste gases and particulate matter are incinerated again in a second chamber cutting down drastically the release of such gases.
