Contrary to the claims of generation of clean energy and carbon credits from the two proposed waste to energy plants in Timapur and Okhla, the fact is that the energy produced from the incineration of pellets made from Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) violates Kyoto Protocol, Stockholm Convention and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)'s recommendations on Mercury besides violating Delhi High Court order and the recommendations of the Supreme Court constituted committee on waste management. Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) refuses to learn any lesson from its Timarpur blunder.

MCD’s own Feasibility Study and Master Plan for Optimal Waste Treatment and Disposal for the Entire State of Delhi of March 2004 says, “Incineration of RDF is considered waste incineration.” (Page 25, Appendix D, Technology Catalogue)

Also as per the ‘White Paper on Pollution in Delhi with an Action Plan’ prepared by Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, “The experience of the incineration plant at Timarpur, Delhi and the briquetting plant at Bombay support the fact that thermal treatment of municipal solid waste is not feasible, in situations where the waste has a low calorific value. A critical analysis of biological treatment as an option was undertaken for processing of municipal solid waste in Delhi and it has been recommended that composting will be a viable option. Considering the large quantities of waste requiring to be processed, a mechanical composting plant will be needed.”

The proposed waste incineration facility is against Kyoto Protocol, Stockholm Convention and UNEP's recommendations because it is one of the emitters of green house gases and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and Mercury. India is a signatory of Kyoto Protocol, which has entered into force from 16 February 2005. Green house gases are polluting and cause global warming. POPs such as dioxins are cancer causing and as per

World Health Organisation, fetuses are most sensitive to dioxin exposure. Some individuals or groups of individuals may be exposed to higher levels of dioxins because of their occupations (e.g. incineration plants and hazardous waste). Mercury causes damage to the nervous systems of babies, as well as insomnia, skin rashes and dermatitis, memory loss, mental disturbances, kidney damage and other ill effects. World governments have concluded an agreement on reducing production and use of the toxic heavy metal mercury on 25th February 2005 in Nairobi, Kenya at UNEP's Governing Council Meeting. The proposal of RDF incineration plant is opposed to the UNEP agreement.

Kyoto Protocol mentions waste management, but incineration technology investors and promoters like MCD in India are taking advantage of Article 10 (c) of the Protocol, which seeks to facilitate transfer of or access to environmentally sound technologies pertinent to climate change. In fact the Protocol lists waste incineration as one of the sources of green house gases. What is being ignored is that after segregation, there is no need for incineration in any case because organic waste can be composted and recyclables can be recycled. There are credible scientific studies, which point out that the incineration process produces considerable amount of dioxins, one of the most toxic chemicals known to be a carcinogen.

MCD’s plan to earn carbon credit through this technology is contrary to the provisions of the Protocol because such provisions are only for renewable energy technologies. The RDF incineration technology is not a renewable energy technology.

Having failed in its first Timarpur experiment with the Waste to Energy project based on burning of RDF in 1990s at a huge loss to the Government, a court case. A screening plant of 100 tonnes per day (tpd) input waste processing capacity was installed in December, 1989. It is claimed that the plant was operated from January, 1990 onwards till March, 1990. The Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources (MNES) says, "In July, 1990, Government of India decided to shut-down the plant for want of proper garbage." How has the then improper garbage become proper garbage now?.

This is yet another instance of ignoring environment and public health despite evidence of technology dumping that imperils the citizens well being. Ash from the combustion technologies also creates more toxic problems. Also MCD must inform the citizens about the outcome of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG)’s probe subsequent to a Delhi High Court order into the Timarpur scam.

It would be in the fitness of things if the MCD took note of the benefits of non-burn technology as an alternative sustainable method for waste disposal before promoting any polluting technology, which has adverse impact on both the environment and renders recycling workers jobless.