Delhi’s WtE plants don’t risk public health, says new CPCB report

A joint assessment by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has revealed that all four waste-to-energy plants in Delhi are largely compliant with regulatory standards and pose minimal risk to public health or the natural environment. This is when the public opposition to WtE projects is gaining speed across the capital and the country.

These four WtE projects are located at Okhla, Ghazipur, Bawana and Tehkhand areas. The findings were submitted to the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal amid ongoing scrutiny of Delhi’s waste management practices.

According to the report, the plants operate with pre-processing facilities that ensure the calorific value of waste exceeds the 1,500 kcal/kg threshold prescribed under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Stack emissions, including suspended particulate matter and heavy metals, generally meet the stipulated norms.

However, the Bawana facility recorded exceedances in dioxins, furans, cadmium and thallium. Despite this, the estimated incremental cancer risk from dioxin emissions remains far below the risk benchmark set by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Ambient air quality monitoring around the plants revealed occasional breaches of PM10 and PM2.5 levels, though these were consistent with trends observed across Delhi’s 39 air quality stations. Elevated ozone and nickel were also noted, prompting calls for expanded nickel monitoring at Ghazipur and Bawana.

On waste ash, bottom ash at three plants met norms, while Bawana’s fly ash exceeded limits for cadmium, manganese, lead and copper. In terms of effluent, Bawana reported high biochemical oxygen demand, Ghazipur showed excess dissolved solids and chlorides, and Tehkhand recorded exceedances in chloride and phenolic compounds. Groundwater monitoring detected heavy metals within permissible limits, though iron and other contaminants exceeded standards in parts of Bawana, Ghazipur and Tehkhand.

The CPCB has directed all WTE plants to install Online Continuous Emission and Effluent Monitoring Systems within three months, with data to be shared in real time. Draft guidelines on municipal solid waste incineration are also open for public feedback.

As the scrutiny of Delhi’s WTE sector continues, a new 30 MW WTE plant at Bawana has received clearance from the Union Environment Ministry. There is opposition from residents citing air quality concerns in the area.