Mumbai hospitals turn organic waste into energy, addressing city’s environmental woes

Mumbai is addressing its waste crisis by introducing waste-to-energy (W2E) plants in five civic-run hospitals. Generating over 6,000 metric tonnes of solid waste daily, with 70% being organic, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) aims to recycle this waste with mini W2E plants in key hospitals, including KEM Hospital, Sion Hospital, Rajawadi Hospital, TB Hospital, and Nair Hospital.
Untreated organic waste sent to landfills emits methane, contributing to poor Air Quality Index (AQI). The W2E plants, acting as bio-methanation facilities, will recycle nearly 2,000 kg of wet garbage daily, producing around 170 units of electricity per day through continuous mesophilic anaerobic digestion.
The generated biogas will power hospital canteens, and any surplus may be used to illuminate hospital campus streetlights. Each plant, covering 2,000 square feet, costs an estimated Rs 1 crore. The BMC initiated the tendering process, seeking bids for plant installation and one-year maintenance.
The plants are set to operate in the first half of 2024 in a phased manner. Dr Sudhakar Shinde, Additional Municipal Commissioner of BMC, emphasized the innovation, stating, “This is a first-of-its-kind initiative in five major hospitals, where 2 MT bio-methanation plants will convert wet waste into biogas. This will decentralize waste collection, save transportation costs, and reduce cooking expenses in hospital kitchens.”