Karnataka generated an estimated 12,140 tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) per day in 2023, with Bengaluru alone accounting for nearly half of this total. Much of this waste remains unsegregated, unprocessed, and left to decompose in landfills. However, this waste holds the potential to solve a major challenge in Karnataka’s cement industry.
The cement industry, being a hard-to-abate sector, is facing increasing pressure in recent years to adopt sustainable practices and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Simultaneously, urban local bodies (ULBs) are contending with the issue of ever-growing landfills with no end in sight for new waste being generated every day that goes into them. Enter refuse-derived fuel (RDF), the solution to both problems. RDF is manufactured from non-recyclable dry waste, such as plastics, paper, textiles, and other combustible materials, and is used as an alternative fuel in cement manufacturing, where it can help reduce coal dependency and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
The integration of waste-to-energy pathways like RDF can ensure a more circular economy. For example, in Punjab, JSW Cement is actively working with the Punjab Renewable Energy Systems Private Limited to use agricultural waste as biomass energy in its cement-manufacturing operations to reduce stubble burning. However, when it comes to MSW in Karnataka, systemic inefficiencies, inadequate regulatory frameworks, and a lack of critical infrastructure have created a gap between ULBs and cement manufacturers.
The article has been published in RenewableWatch's magazine and website.
