A Bombay High Court-appointed committee monitoring pollution at Mumbai’s only operational landfill has recommended urgent measures to tackle methane emissions and foul odour at Kanjurmarg, a site that processes 86 per cent of the city’s daily waste and has previously been identified among the world’s top 25 methane hotspot zones.
The Kanjurmarg landfill processes around 6,100 metric tonnes (MT) of waste daily, accounting for nearly 86 per cent of Mumbai’s daily garbage generation.
The committee submitted its report to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), recommending a series of short- and long-term measures, including relocation of material recovery facilities (MRFs), improved soil cover and the setting up of waste-to-energy and bio-methanation plants.
The HC had constituted the committee in January following concerns that garbage dumping activities at the site were violating citizens’ right to a healthy environment under Article 21 of the Constitution.
One of the panel’s key recommendations is a methane audit of the landfill and adjoining areas to identify emission hotspots. Once identified, the BMC has been asked to implement mitigation measures to curb methane emissions.
To mitigate odour dispersion, the panel proposed relocating the two material recovery facilities within the landfill (Express Photo by Deepak Joshi)
Operational since February 2011, the Kanjurmarg landfill uses bio-reactor landfill technology, which accelerates waste decomposition by maintaining optimum moisture levels. However, the process also generates methane, a highly flammable greenhouse gas.
A recent University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) report identified Kanjurmarg as one of the world’s top 25 methane hotspot zones.
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Civic officials said the BMC has appointed the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to conduct the methane audit. “Methane is a gas that one cannot even smell to detect its presence. It gets inhaled unknowingly and can severely damage the respiratory system,” Deputy Municipal Commissioner Kiran Dighavkar told The Indian Express.
He added that once hotspots are identified, gas catchers would be installed to capture methane, which could then be reused or supplied to gas distribution agencies.
The committee has also recommended installing air quality monitoring stations within the landfill and integrating the data into the public monitoring system. It further suggested improving soil cover and developing a green buffer around the site to reduce odour affecting nearby areas such as Kannamwar Nagar, Bhandup and Vikhroli.
To mitigate odour dispersion, the panel proposed relocating the two material recovery facilities within the landfill to the western end of the plot. MRFs are facilities where waste is collected and stored before segregation, often leading to foul odour because the waste remains untreated.
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As part of its study, the committee compared Kanjurmarg with the Shivri waste processing facility in Lucknow.“The Lucknow plant benefits from being situated outside city limits with a 2-km buffer zone, whereas Kanjur is in a densely populated urban area, significantly affecting odour dispersion and community tolerance,” the report noted.
Among its long-term recommendations, the committee proposed setting up a waste-to-energy plant and a bio-methanation facility at the landfill to process waste more efficiently.
Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India.
Expertise & Authority
Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai.
Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in:
Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting.
City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region.
Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis:
National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.
State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019.
Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis.
Experience
Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies:
Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014).
Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express.
Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More
To mitigate odour dispersion, the panel proposed relocating the two material recovery facilities within the landfill (Express Photo by Deepak Joshi)