Cement companies told to strictly comply with rules pertaining to usage of Refuse Derived Fuel

Swachha Andhra Corporation Chairman K. Pattabhiram and A.P. Pollution Control Board Chairman P. Krishnaiah stated in a meeting with senior executives of cement manufacturing companies on Thursday that Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) generated from dry waste must be utilized in the kilns for cement production. As per the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in 2018, its usage should not fall below a minimum of 15%.

They emphasized that, according to the SWM Rules, cement kilns should reduce the percentage of coal used and replace it with RDF derived from municipal solid waste, ensuring a minimum usage of 15% for cement production, and urged the companies to comply with those rules without fail.

Mr. Pattabhiram said it was estimated that around 7,000 tons of waste was generated daily from 123 Urban Local Bodies and that the quantity would be much higher if waste from rural areas was also included. He stressed that the waste should be processed daily to eliminate the need for dumping yards. 

Cement companies within a 400-kilometer radius of every municipality and corporation must take the said rules seriously, he exhorted, while Mr. Krishnaiah said that a joint technical committee would be formed for guiding and enabling the cement companies to comply with the rules. Swachha Andhra Corporation COO Dasaratha Ramireddy, APPCB Chief Engineer P. Prasad Rao, Joint CE Rajasekhar and others were present.