Residents of Mandur in east Bengaluru, who have endured the environmental hazards of a massive garbage dump for years, can finally anticipate significant relief. Civic authorities have initiated the second phase of a major biomining project aimed at scientifically clearing decades of accumulated legacy waste at the site.
Massive Clean-up Targets 22 Lakh Tonnes of Waste
Mandur, one of Bengaluru's oldest dumping grounds, holds an estimated 22 lakh tonnes of legacy waste. The clean-up operation is being executed in phases, employing scientific processing and segregation techniques to maximise material recovery instead of simply relocating the trash. The focus is on converting the historical dump into usable resource streams.
The ongoing Phase 2 specifically targets over 10 lakh tonnes of this old waste. Officials report that more than 9 lakh tonnes have already been processed through this phase. Advanced screening machines are used to separate the waste into various fractions, drastically reducing the final volume that requires disposal in landfills.
Scientific Segregation Yields Valuable Resources
The biomining process is successfully recovering substantial amounts of material. The largest share is bio-earth, a stabilised organic matter, accounting for over 3.9 lakh tonnes or about 62% of the processed waste. A portion of this, 40,592 tonnes, has already been supplied to local farmers for use as an effective soil conditioner.
Another significant recovery is Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), which totals 76,899 tonnes (12%). From this, 30,167 tonnes have been sent to the waste-to-energy plant operated by the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited for generating electricity.
The remaining segregated fractions include:
- Over 1.1 lakh tonnes of inert material (18%)
- 32,041 tonnes of recyclables (5%)
- 19,225 tonnes of construction and demolition waste (3%)
A Milestone for Environmental Safety and Land Reclamation
Karee Gowda, CEO of Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited, emphasised the project's goal. He stated that the focus is on transforming old dumps into sources of usable resources. "Through scientific biomining and segregation, we are recovering and reusing maximum material. Bio-earth is going to farmers, RDF is used for energy, and only a small fraction remains inert," he explained, calling Phase 2 a crucial milestone in accelerating the clean-up.
This large-scale project is expected to bring major environmental benefits. It will significantly reduce long-standing risks such as groundwater contamination, harmful methane emissions, and recurring fires at the dump site. Ultimately, the initiative aims to reclaim valuable land that has been buried under garbage for decades, offering a cleaner and healthier future for the surrounding communities.
