NGT Questions Kerala's Waste Treatment Claims

The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has raised serious concerns regarding the Kerala State Pollution Control Board's (KSPCB) report on biomedical waste treatment. The tribunal questions the KSPCB's assertion that adequate treatment facilities exist across Kerala's districts. Authorities have been directed to explain why waste generated within Kerala is reportedly being dumped in bordering states if sufficient capacity is indeed available.

This directive comes as part of an ongoing case concerning the illegal dumping of biomedical and mixed solid waste from Kerala into Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, in December 2024. The NGT highlighted that 642 applications from healthcare facilities seeking authorization under the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016, are pending, and another 73 were returned for clarification. It remains unclear how waste from these facilities is being managed.

Data from 2025 indicated Kerala generated approximately 73.08 tonnes of biomedical waste daily. The state currently operates two Common Biomedical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facilities (CBWTFs) with a combined installed capacity of around 71.8 tonnes per day. These facilities treated about 72.4 tonnes daily, serving 24,390 healthcare facilities. The NGT pointed out that the reported capacity appears proportional to waste generation, making the necessity of cross-border dumping a significant unanswered question.

Officials have stated that an updated report from the Health Department is being sought to ascertain the total number of healthcare facilities and to properly evaluate the state's waste management capacity. This information will be compiled to provide a clearer picture of the available facilities and their adequacy for handling biomedical waste.