KEIL to Install LNG-Powered Sanitary Waste Incinerator in Kochi

Haritha Karmasena is a venture working in the field of sanitation and waste management in local self-government bodies in Kerala. I Image Courtesy: LSGD

Anusha Paul

Published on Sep 30, 2025, 12:06 PM | 3 min read

Kochi: The Kerala Enviro Infrastructure Limited (KEIL) is set to install a new incinerator exclusively for treating sanitary waste in Kochi. The move comes in response to a surge in the volume of diapers, sanitary napkins, and other household biomedical refuse being generated in the city and neighbouring municipalities.

With awareness growing among residents and increasing adoption of official disposal systems, the quantity of sanitary waste collected daily has more than doubled in recent years. What was once limited to one or two tonnes per day has now surged beyond five tonnes, according to KEIL officials.

“We are currently operating at near full capacity and are unable to handle the growing quantities of sanitary waste,” said NK Pillai, CEO of KEIL. “To address this gap, we are in the process of doubling our treatment capacity.”

Established under the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), KEIL is the state’s primary agency for managing hazardous waste, including biomedical waste from hospitals and households. Its existing facility at Ambalamedu processes up to 16 tonnes of biomedical and sanitary waste per day. Of this, nearly 12 tonnes are allocated to biomedical waste from hospitals and clinics, leaving only about 4 tonnes of capacity for domestic sanitary waste.

To address this shortfall, KEIL is investing in a new incinerator with a capacity of 12 tonnes per day—equivalent to approximately 500 kg per hour. The Rs. 10-crore facility will be dedicated solely to sanitary waste and will feature dual-chamber technology, with primary and secondary combustion chambers operating at 850°C and 1,100°C respectively, ensuring complete and safe incineration of waste.

The facility will also switch from diesel to liquefied natural gas (LNG) as its primary fuel. Presently, the incineration of wet sanitary waste consumes nearly 800 litres of diesel per day, an expensive and environmentally damaging practice. The transition to LNG, according to KEIL officials, will reduce operational costs and emissions, aligning with broader environmental goals.

In parallel, the Kochi Corporation is constructing its own biomedical waste treatment facility at Brahmapuram, which is expected to become operational by October. Designed with a daily capacity of 3 tonnes, the plant is part of the local body’s efforts to reduce dependence on KEIL’s centralised infrastructure.

“The quantity of waste collected from households is increasing daily. While the Brahmapuram plant will provide some relief, we may have to scale up its capacity soon,” said TK Ashraf, Chairman of the Health Standing Committee.

The demand for enhanced sanitary waste infrastructure is not limited to Kochi. The Clean Kerala Company, a government-backed agency under the Department of Local Self Government, has issued tenders to set up sanitary waste processing units in other districts, including Kollam, Alappuzha, Kannur, and Malappuram.

These projects are part of a broader attempt to decentralise waste management across Kerala and build localised treatment capacity that can accommodate both household and institutional sanitary waste. According to officials, clustering the districts will help optimise logistics, reduce transportation costs, and encourage better compliance among households.