In Mangaluru, plastic waste buried in the Pachanady landfill is being transformed into fuel, with a waste-to-fuel facility generating nearly 10,000 litres of pyrolysis oil. The initiative is a collaboration between Bengaluru-based ARV Conservation Care Limited and Kudla Green Wave.
How the Process Works
Kiran P Kulkarni, a bioremediation expert with the Swachh Bharat Mission, explained that the facility uses segregated refuse derived fuel (RDF) material from the landfill as feedstock for pyrolysis. A depolymerisation plant has been installed to extract oil from legacy waste, and trials have been successful, especially with plastic waste.
The process begins with segregation of combustible waste fractions. The plant, capable of processing 15 metric tonnes of RDF daily, feeds the material into a reactor where pyrolysis occurs—breaking down plastic in the absence of oxygen. Once charged, the reactor runs continuously for eight to ten hours, producing pyrolysis oil, syngas, and black carbon.
Uses of By-Products
The pyrolysis oil can serve as industrial fuel. Syngas is stored and used to power subsequent operations, while black carbon can be used as fuel in cement industries and boilers. The oil has been tested at Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited. Depending on plastic waste quality, the yield ranges between 15% and 20%. The fuel's gross calorific value, a measure of total energy released during combustion, has been recorded at over 43.1, according to Kulkarni.
Market Demand and Future Prospects
Demand and market prices for pyrolysis oil have increased as industries seek alternative fuels amid the ongoing West Asia crisis. According to Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) estimates from 2019, more than nine lakh tonnes of legacy waste remain across nearly two kilometres of the landfill.
MCC commissioner Ravichandra Naik recently visited the facility to review operations and assess progress. The project has also been brought to the attention of the Swachh Bharat Mission director. Kulkarni noted that similar facilities could be created in other corporations.
