The municipal solid waste processing plant at Dadu Majra will produce Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) worth about Rs 3.50 lakh per day from the garbage collected from the city. Besides, the processing of garbage is eco-friendly and helps in eliminating the green-house effect caused by the emission of toxic gases owing to dumping of garbage in open space.

The plant will be operational after about three months. The quality of the fuel will also improve with the proper segregation of garbage at every level. The fuel derived will be used at a thermal power plant in Ropar and a cement plant of Jaypee Group in Himachal Pradesh, said experts.

The plant, a public-private initiative between Jai Prakash Associates Limited and the municipal corporation of Chandigarh, was agreed to be set up on December 30, 2005, and has been completed in a stipulated time. The plant is equipped with a state-of-the-art laboratory and minimises environmental hazards. A team of around 80 workers will work under experts and will be wearing masks, gloves, shoes and safety glasses to prevent direct contact with filth.

The plant has a capacity to process 500 tonnes of garbage while at present the solid municipal waste produced in the city is around 380 tonnes per day.

AK Khater, project manager and director, Amrit Non-Conventional Energy System, says the plant will produce 175 tonnes of RDF from the waste collected from the city. The quality of fuel depends upon calories per kg of RDF and the target is to achieve 3,000 calories per kg. At present the amount of calories per kg of RDF is around 2000 owing to high level of undesirable elements, which are around 30 per cent in the garbage.

Khater adds that 3000 calories per kg fetches Rs 2000 per tonne. The RDF will be used in combination with coal and it will help in reducing coal consumption.

The MC has been collecting the garbage in a non-engineering manner and dumping in open space leading to emission of toxic gases, including methane and carbon dioxide, due to anaerobic decomposition of solid waste in uncontrolled open landfill site. Methane is responsible for global warming, 25 times more than carbon dioxide.