IIT Roorkee to assess Muzaffarnagar paper mills over RDF burning complaints

Agra: The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has asked paper mills in Muzaffarnagar to sign memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee for a technical assessment after residents and environmental activists complained that local units were transporting and burning waste from Delhi’s Ghazipur landfill, raising air pollution concerns.Residents and environmental activists alleged that refuse-derived fuel (RDF) from the landfill, often called the “garbage mountain”, was being used as fuel in these mills, leading to foul odour and deteriorating air quality in nearby areas. The institute’s technical team would assess whether boilers and air pollution control systems in these units met prescribed environmental norms.Geetesh Chandra, regional officer at UPPCB, said inspections were underway, with nine of the 37 identified factories -- of which around 30 were operational -- assessed so far. “Keeping in view complaints of air pollution caused by the burning of RDF, the board has directed the concerned paper mills to sign MoUs with IIT Roorkee. The assessment is underway, and the report is awaited,” Chandra said.The evaluation would focus on emission levels and the efficiency of pollution control systems. Muzaffarnagar had over 30 operational paper mills, many of which were issued notices seeking explanations in response to complaints of “stink and pollution”.It should be noted that Pankaj Agarwal, former state president of the UP Paper Mill Association, said over 20 mills are using such waste material, but maintained that it is processed into RDF before combustion, which is a permitted practice. “We treat municipal waste before burning it. There are treatment mechanisms in paper mills that convert it into RDF,” he said.Local RTI activist Sumit Malik, who raised complaints on the issue, said, “During 2024-25, paper mill owners obtained permission from the Pollution Control Board in Lucknow to burn RDF. However, this practice is allegedly being misused. Instead of proper RDF, units are reportedly burning hazardous materials such as plastic waste and heavy metals in boilers, which is against industrial regulations and has led to severe air pollution.”