Kochi flats to have waste treatment unit

KOCHI: The Kochi Corporation, in association with the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association India (CREDAI), will soon launch the second phase of the Clean Kochi Movement. The project aims at setting up a waste processing unit in every residential apartment complex in the city. If successfully implemented, Kochi will become the first city in the country to have waste processing unit installed in every flat complex. “We are planning to convene a meeting with the Residents’ Association office-bearers from the flats that have not installed waste processing units. In the first phase, CREDAI was successful in installing waste treatment facilities in 111 flats out of the total 197 flats in the city. The units will be set up at the remaining flats in the second phase,” said T K Ashraf, Kochi corporation health standing committee chairman.Also, CREDAI will install bio-bins for flats. Bio-bins are the containers made of fibre-reinforced plastic. Usually, this system uses aerobic microbial composting method to convert biodegradable waste into organic manure. The waste collected from the apartment complex is deposited in the aerated bins and treated with a microbial solution that triggers decomposition. CREDAI will employ a supervisor to operate and maintain the system that takes 20 to 30 days to convert the waste into manure. The high temperature generated by the process keeps flies and other insects away. Each bio-bin unit has the capacity to process up to 40 kg of waste each day. The approximate cost for setting up an unit is estimated at Rs 48,000. The state government had also recently issued an order to make solid waste treatment units mandatory in all upcoming apartment complexes.