Lok Sabha Question No. 1190 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-08
Subject: Guidelines for Waste-to-Energy Plants
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Krishna Prasad Tenneti, Shri P C Mohan, Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, Shri Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Dr. Hemant Vishnu Savara, Shri Rajkumar Chahar, Shri Jagdambika Pal, Shri Alok Sharma, Smt. Kamaljeet Sehrawat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1190

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025

## Guidelines for Waste-to-Energy Plants

1190:   DR. HEMANT VISHNU SAVARA:

SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

SHRI KRISHNA PRASAD TENNETI:

SHRI P C MOHAN:

SHRI VISHWESHWAR HEGDE KAGERI:

SHRI ALOK SHARMA:

SMT. KAMALJEET SEHRAWAT:

SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

SHRI RAJKUMAR CHAHAR:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) The arrangement  put  in  place  for  implementing  the  management  of  residual  ash  and leachate under the guidelines for waste-to-energy plants issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in August 2025;
- (b) Whether the Government proposes to standardize the methodology for Environmental Damage Cost Assessment (EDCA) as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) draft report of August 2025;
- (c) Whether  the  Government  has  established  an  integrated  digital  platform  for  State Pollution  Control  Boards  to  monitor  real-time  compliance  status  of  waste-to-energy plants and industrial units located in highly polluted areas;
- (d) The manner in which the Government is ensuring that the automatic renewal of (Consent to Operate -CTO) system does not lead to reduction in the frequency of inspection for compromise environmental safeguards; and
- (e) Whether the Government is planning new rule for the metro city critically polluted areas like Mumbai, urban part of Palghar, National Capital Region (NCR) of India and other cities of the country for environmental safeguards, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a)  & (b): Schedule II of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, prescribes standards of processing and treatment of solid waste including standards for emission from incinerators /  thermal technologies in solid waste treatment and disposal facilities. It has been mandated that if the concentration of toxic metals in incineration ash exceeds the limits specified in the Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Trans boundary Movement) Rules, 2008, as amended from  time  to  time,  the  ash  is  sent  to  the  hazardous  waste  treatment,  storage  and disposal  facility.  Further,  the  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  has  issued  draft Guidelines on Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) incineration-based Waste-to-Energy Plants for public consultation. The Guidelines have separate section on leachate management covering leachate  collection  and  transfer  to  a  dedicated  Leachate  Treatment  Plant  for  systematic treatment  before  reuse  or  further  processing.  The  Guidelines  also  have  separate  section  on bottom ash and fly ash management. In cases where, bottom ash and fly ash are found to be non-hazardous as per SWM Rules, 2016, modalities for recycling, reuse, disposal as applicable, have been provided. Separately, a draft report on Environmental Damage Cost Assessment (EDCA) has been prepared and placed in public domain for consultation.

(c):  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  has  issued  directions  to  all  State  Pollution  Control Boards/Pollution  Control  Committee  under  section  5  of  the  Environment  (Protection)  Act, 1986,  on  12.8.2025  for  installation  of  Online  Continuous  Emission  Monitoring  System (OCEMS) for self-surveillance of MSW incineration based Waste to Energy Plants (WtE). The State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committee have to ensure that all operational and upcoming  MSW  incineration based Waste-to-Energy (WTE)  plants within their jurisdiction install and operate Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) for real-time  monitoring  and  that  all  monitoring  systems  installed  under  this  directive  are connected in real-time to the respective SPCB/PCC's servers and the Central Pollution Control Board's  Online  Monitoring  server  within  three  months  from  the  date  of  issuance  of  the direction.

For strengthening monitoring and compliance through self-regulatory mechanism, CPCB has directed  all  17  categories  of  highly  polluting  industries,  since  2015,  to  install  Online Continuous  Effluent/  Emission  Monitoring  Systems  (OCEMS).  The  real-time  values  of environmental pollutants of the effluent and emissions are transmitted online to CPCB and concerned SPCB/PCC.  In  case value of pollutant parameter exceeds the prescribed environmental norms, an SMS alert is generated and sent to industrial unit and respective SPCB /PCC, so that corrective measures can be taken by the industry immediately and appropriate action can be taken by concerned SPCB/PCC in case of persistent violation.

(d) & (e): The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  &  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  in consultation with the CPCB, has notified Guidelines for the Grant, Refusal or Cancellation of Consent under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Air (Prevention and  Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1981,  on  29 th and  30 th January,  2025,  respectively.  These guidelines  establish  a  uniform  consent  mechanism  introducing  streamlined,  single-step procedure for obtaining consent and authorization. The guidelines prescribe timelines for grant or refusal of consent within the specified period  based upon categorization of units into Red, Orange of Green Category.

The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) was established for better co ordination, research, identification and resolution of problems surrounding the air quality index and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.  The  CAQM  issues  Directions  and  Advisories  and  imposition  of  Graded  Response Action Plan (GRAP) for air quality management in Delhi and NCR.  The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in January 2019 to improve air quality in 130 cities in 24 States/ UTs of the country through implementation of National, State and City level clean air action plans. NCAP includes Greater Mumbai and Vasai-Virar city of Palghar District. The City level clean air action plans target  air  pollution  sources  like  soil  &  road  dust,  vehicular  emissions,  waste  burning, Construction & Demolition activities, and industrial pollution. The programme also leverages mobilisation  of  resources  through  convergence  of  various  schemes  of  Central  &  State Governments as well as resources of State Govts. / UT administration, Municipal Corporations and other developmental authorities for implementation of action plans.

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