Unmindful of the fact that Non-Renewable energy technologies such as biomass combustion/gasification, waste-to-energy violate multilateral environmental agreements and cause serious environment and health problems, Ministry of Non- conventional Energy Sources (MNES) is promoting these as Renewable energy technologies. This can distort waste management in the country beyond repair. These technologies were denounced recently at the Waste Not Asia Conference (June 2004) in Seoul, Korea.

The Minister for Non-conventional Energy Sources, Vilas Muttemwar inaugurated a one-day Conference of Renewable Energy and Power Ministers of States and Union Territories today. Conference follows a meeting convened by the Ministry on June 15, 2004 regarding village energy security through biomass, which was attended by Chief Executives/Heads of Renewable Energy Programmes in the States.

The Indian Economic Advisor to Ministry of Commerce and Industry in a paper on “Trade liberalization in environmental goods: end of the pipe equipments and cleaner technologies” has rightly said, solid waste incinerators, which are considered environmental goods by some, are considered as polluters by others. Such goods also should not be included in the list of Environmental Goods and Services. These technologies violate environmental treaties like Kyoto Protocol, Stockholm Convention and the recommendation of the Global Mercury Assessment report. Its promotion as Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects is against the letter and the spirit of the Kyoto Protocol. Also European Union Incineration Directive seeks elimination of these.

MNES refuses to learn lessons from its glaring mistakes and continues to subsidize hazardous technologies like combustion, Pyrolysis and gasification in total disregard of its Timarpur waste to energy blunder in Delhi and also the failure of the Australian gasification technology of Energy Developments Limited (EDL). Developed countries like U.S, Canada and Japan are promoting these obsolete technologies.

At a time when our Ministry of Commerce and Industry is taking a progressive stance it is alarming to note that MNES is seeking to promote polluting technologies. The MNES is zealously providing technological solutions to management problems.

The Ministry is contemplating conversion of the Remote Village Electrification Programme into a Village Energy Security Programme, which will cover an additional 1.75 lakh forest-fringe villages to meet the entire energy needs- of cooking, lighting and motive power through community participation with a view to create further employment opportunities.

While MNES talks of providing employment, it forgets that its intervention through waste to energy projects in the waste management will render workers in the recycling sector jobless and discourages composting as sane methods of waste management.

Although waste picking is not a formally recognised profession, the waste pickers are actually reducing our waste thereby lessening the burden of the municipality. In Delhi alone, there are approximately 80,000 to 100,000 waste pickers who take away about 10-15 per cent of the waste. Urban Development Ministry should intervene to set the matter right for it is its mandate to manage waste and work poverty alleviation, which MNES is usurping with impunity under the influence of burn technology providers lobby.

“Resources up in Flames" a recent historical report argues against wasting natural fetilizers that is compost in incinerators, saying its"...barbarism to destroy valuable material simply for the purpose of getting rid of it".

The document cites case studies from India showcasing waste to energy projects of EDL in Chennai, Bhopal, Jaipur and Mumbai although it has missed the mention of Delhi and Kanpur waste to energy projects which have been shelved following campaign by environmental groups. "Resources up in Flames: The Economic pitfalls of Incineration Versus a Zero Waste Approach in the Global South" is a report by Brenda Platt, Institute of Local Self-Reliance for Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA).

GAIA urges the Indian Government to refrain from building incinerators and to implement national and community zero waste plans. GAIA is an alliance of over 360 non-profit groups and individuals from 66 countries, including India, working to phase out all forms of waste incineration and to promote clean production, zero waste and sustainable waste management systems.

Municipal waste incineration is a costly, polluting, unsustainable and outmoded approach to waste management. However, a comprehensive zero waste approach not only keeps the valuable resources contained in municipal waste (such as paper, compostables, glass, etc.) in the local economy, but also creates job opportunities in many sectors. Residual incinerator ash contains many toxic materials and presents a grave public health threat. Many pollutants from incinerators have been associated with significant environmental and human health effects.

Incinerators are a major source of mercury, which is a powerful neurotoxin, impairing motor, sensory and cognitive functions. Acid gases, such as hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen bromide, and sulfur oxides, can damage incinerators, primarily by corroding air pollution control equipment. They also can cause or exacerbate a wide range of human health problems such as especially respiratory disorders and are acid rain precursors. Incinerator emissions have also been shown to be mutagenic, meaning that they alter human DNA.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), incinerators are the leading source of dioxin into the global environment. Dioxin is the most toxic manmade substance known; dioxin causes cancer and neurological damage, and disrupts reproductive systems, thyroid systems, respiratory systems, and other serious health effects.

Environmental organisations appreciate this specific stance of Commerce and Industry Ministry and demand that MNES should fine-tune its policy by eliminating burn technologies from its waste to energy policy.