Corpn commences biomining of 3 dump yards to reclaim 32 acres

After several years of delay and deliberation, the Greater Chennai Corporation has finally commenced the reclaiming works of three dump yards in the city by biomining process.

The project will reclaim more than 32 acres of land in Pallikaranai, Athipattu near Ambattur and Sathangadu near Ennore, which will be put to other purposes. The civic body has given a Rs 18.15 crore project to a private contractor named Srinivas Waste Management Services Private Limited.

According to a Greater Chennai Corporation higher official, the initial process in biomining is stacking. In which, the legacy waste would be piled up in a specific dimension. “While digging the land, we can see garbage up to 10 metres deep. As the garbage below the top surface is wet, and has methane gas and other hazardous elements, stacking is a must to dry up the waste,” a representative of the private contractor said.

The three dump yards have a combined accumulated legacy waste of nearly 2.50 lakh cubic metres. Once the stacking is completed, chemicals would be sprinkled over the garbage to accelerate the bio-culture process to stabilise methane gas and hazardous elements. The bio-culture process would take two to three weeks. The civic body has already started bio-culturing in Sathangadu dump yard and the process of stacking is ongoing in other two dump yards, too.

After the methane and hazardous elements are stabilised, machines, which the civic body is yet to bring, would be used to segregate waste.

“The machine would contain various parts such as hopper, siever, conveyor belt. This process will segregate recyclable waste and soil,” he added.

According to the officials, the major product obtained from the biomining is bio-earth, which is soil sieved from the legacy waste, and plastic bags, wood, rubber, glass and cloths are by-products. While the bio-earth would be sold for agricultural purposes, other products would be sent to respective factories to be recycled or used as fuel. The only unusable product would be construction waste, stones and others. “Even they can be used to level low-lying areas.” Sathangadu and Athipattu landfills were used by the erstwhile Tiruvottiyur and Ambattur municipalities. The dump yard in Pallikaranai was used by the civic body itself. Presently, the Chennai Corporation had closed the dump yards and is using the facilities as transit sites. The garbage generated in the city goes to Perungudi and Kodungaiyur landfills.

“The works will be completed in 18 months and biomining will help reclaim the land for other purposes,” the official said.

Legacy waste will be stacked up in certain dimensions

Chemicals to be sprinkled to accelerate bio-culture

After 2 to 3 weeks, stabilised legacy waste will be sent to a machine to segregate waste

The main product isbio-earth (manure), while wood, rubber, glass and others are by-products