Kerala’s First Biomedical Waste‑to‑Energy Plant to Begin Operations in Varkala

Thiruvananthapuram: A facility that generates electricity by processing household biomedical and sanitary waste is set to begin operations in Varkala, the first of its kind in Kerala. Local Self-Government Minister M. B. Rajesh will inaugurate the plant on the evening of August 13, followed by public meeting at Sivagiri Sree Narayana College auditorum.

The plant, located in the Kanwashramam area next to an existing waste treatment centre, has the capacity to process five tonnes of waste per day and is expected to produce up to 60 kilowatts of electricity daily. The Rs. 1.5 crore project is being implemented by the Varkala Municipality with technical approval from the Kerala State Pollution Control Board.

The facility is designed to handle waste such as diapers, sanitary pads, reusable cloth, hair, and condoms, using a scientific treatment process to convert it into energy. Varkala plant is a part of a broader effort to manage sanitary and biomedical waste through decentralised, environmentally responsible solutions.

Therefore the idea to convert these bio-medical waste to turn into an energy Varkala plant is a part of a broader effort to manage sanitary and biomedical waste through decentralised, sustainable and environmentally responsible solutions.

This initiative is a broader sanitary waste management effort in Kerala. Malinya Muktha Nava Keralam project which was launched in 2023 by the state government, planning to set up 34 dual‑chamber incinerators—one or two per district—to handle bio-medical waste. These incinerators are designed to reduce harmful emissions by recombusting exhaust through a second chamber, while refuse-derived fuel (RDF) plants are also planned for each district.