'Close Kodungaiyur incinerator, ban new WTE plan’

CHENNAI: Federation of North Chennai Residents Welfare Associations (FNCRWA) and Alliance for Incinerator Free Chennai (AIFC) have done the largest case study on the impacts of the 50 MTPD Waste Incinerator in Kodungaiyur, Chennai. Members of the group called on Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Commissioner GS Sameeran on Thursday, and submitted the report and pressed for the permanent closure of the waste incinerator at Kodungaiyur and ban the initiative on 2,100 TPD Waste To Energy (WTE) Kodungaiyur dump yard.

The report is based on a community health survey of 415 households across eight neighbourhoods within 2 km of the 50 MTPD waste incinerator at Kodungaiyur, North Chennai, which is the largest survey taken so far. Conducted by trained community volunteers of the Foundation for Friendly Environment and Medical Awareness (FEMA), this survey provides Chennai's largest primary health dataset on waste incineration. And submitted to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change in April and the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee on Plastic Pollution and Human Rights in May. The report was prepared by Madhuvanthi Rajkumar, an independent lawyer and researcher engaged in the UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations.

Key findings of the report documented human rights violations, linked to the incinerator: 79.8% of households report health symptoms, with 93.4% blaming incinerator smoke. Environmental degradation is rampant, leaving 91.6% of groundwater undrinkable and 77.6% of rooftop tanks filled with soot.

Furthermore, all residents observe smoke, and 64.6% suffer from all-day exposure. Education is severely impacted, with 53% reporting disrupted schooling for children. Livelihoods are affected as 45.5% face work absences, while 47.5% spend over Rs 1,000 monthly on medical costs. Over half of the households bear this triple burden.

Despite 61.4% filing complaints, responses were inadequate, and TNPCB renewed the facility’s license despite failing to test 45-48 mandatory parameters.

FNCRWA president TK Shanmugam said, “After the briefing, lawyer Madhuvanthi submitted the report on the issues faced by residents. The commissioner assured that the WTE project will be implemented only after getting the residents’ feedback. If the local body is breaching its assurance, once again we’ll perform a mass protest like the one we did before to save the livelihood of the public. Schemes are for the people, but people are not for a scheme.”

The report stated that the government should permanently shut down the Kodungaiyur incinerator, remediate the site, and cancel all proposed WTE projects across Tamil Nadu. It demanded independent, bilingual impact assessments of existing facilities.

KEY FINDINGS

TNPCB renewed facility’s license despite failing to test 45-48 mandatory parameters

Survey provides city’s largest primary health dataset on waste incineration

415 households in 8 eight neighbourhoods within 2 km of the 50 MTPD waste incinerator at Kodungaiyur

79.8% of households have health symptoms

93.4% blame incinerator smoke

91.6% of groundwater undrinkable

77.6% of rooftop tanks filled with soot

64.6% suffer from all-day smoke exposure

53% disrupted schooling for children

45.5% face work absences

47.5% spend over Rs 1,000/m on medical expenses

61.4% filed complaints