NGT: Submit revised norms for WTE plants in 3 months

New Delhi: National Green Tribunal gave the Central Pollution Control Board three months to submit the revised guidelines it is preparing for waste-to-energy plants across the country. The guidelines will align with the new Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, set to come into force from April 1 onwards.The tribunal in 2024 took suo-motu cognisance of a media report on whether waste-to-energy plants were a solution or a problem for the country's waste management.In a hearing held on Feb 10, the bench headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava observed, "Learned counsel for CPCB submits that the new Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, were notified in Jan 2026, which are to come into force with effect from April 1. She submits that earlier, the proposed guidelines were framed by the CPCB, namely, ‘Guidelines on Municipal Solid Waste incineration-based Waste to Energy Plants,' and comments from the states were invited, but in view of the SWM Rules, 2026, the guidelines will be examined and framed to align with the new rules. She submits that this exercise will be completed within three months."The bench added that CPCB is directed to place on record the new guidelines in respect of waste-to-energy plants before the next date of hearing on May 21.TOIearlier reported that CPCB conducted an audit of Delhi's four waste-to-energy plants and found that, while all had the required consent to operate, minor issues were identified in three facilities.In a report dated Feb 9, CPCB said WTE plants were inspected in nine states and Union territories. All parameters were met at Okhla, but minor issues were found at the other three units. At Bawana WTE, "all parameters of stack emission were found to comply except for dioxin and furan", said the report. At Ghazipur, CPCB said, all parameters of treated effluent complied except for total dissolved solids and chlorine. Similarly, Tehkhand WTE met all parameters except for chlorine.