Bengaluru has taken a significant step towards strengthening its waste-to-resource ecosystem as the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited began supplying low-value plastic waste, known as refuse-derived fuel, to Dalmia Cement Limited. On Monday, the civic agency dispatched its first large consignment of 160 metric tonnes of RDF, marking the start of a long-term collaboration aimed at reducing landfill burden and improving waste utilisation.
According to Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited Chief Executive Officer Karee Gowda, the agency currently collects close to 400 metric tonnes of RDF every day from across the city. Of this, around 100 to 150 metric tonnes are already being sent to a waste-to-energy plant near Bidadi. With the new arrangement in place, the city’s RDF handling capacity is expected to increase substantially through improved segregation and processing.
The partnership with Dalmia Cement is expected to absorb much larger volumes of waste, as the cement manufacturer has committed to lifting up to 1,000 metric tonnes of RDF daily for use as an alternative fuel in its factory operations.
Extended producer responsibility credits to bring financial gains
Under the agreement, Dalmia Cement will provide extended producer responsibility credits generated from the use of RDF to the civic agency. This is expected to offer a steady financial return while strengthening compliance with national waste management regulations.
Explaining the financial potential of the model, Gowda said extended producer responsibility functions in a manner similar to transferable development rights in land transactions. By aggregating RDF from multiple sources and supplying it to large industrial consumers, the agency can monetise waste more effectively. At a fixed rate of one thousand rupees per tonne, supplying just 200 metric tonnes of RDF daily could generate nearly two lakh rupees in revenue. With current collections already touching 400 metric tonnes a day, officials believe scaling up to 1,000 metric tonnes is achievable.
The civic body is expected to receive formal extended producer responsibility certification by next month, which would make it the first municipal agency in Bengaluru to obtain such accreditation.
Officials attributed the rising RDF volumes to improved segregation of waste at the household level. Sustained information, education and communication campaigns across neighbourhoods have increased public awareness about separating dry, wet and low-value plastic waste.
As a result, the city now consistently recovers between 350 and 400 metric tonnes of refuse-derived fuel every day, significantly reducing the amount of plastic waste ending up in landfills or open dumping sites.
With large industries stepping in to use RDF as an alternative fuel and civic agencies unlocking new revenue streams, Bengaluru’s waste management model is increasingly being viewed as a practical example of how urban waste can be transformed into a resource while delivering both environmental and economic benefits.