Kannur: In a major push toward eco-friendly urban waste management, Keralam is all set to establish regional scientific landfill facilities across six districts - Ernakulam, Kannur, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram. The project aims to safely dispose of urban solid waste without posing risks to public health or the environment.

The first facility will come up in Ernakulam, where the state government will acquire 9.3 acres of land at Ayyankuzhi in Vadavucode - Puthencruz panchayat, under Kunnathunad Taluk. An administrative sanction of ₹15.07 crore has already been accorded for the land acquisition.

The acquisition will be funded through the Kerala Solid Waste Management Project (KSWMP). The District Collector has been tasked with initiating direct negotiations with landowners via the District Level Purchase Committee (DLPC). Alongside this, the government is also pursuing a waste-to-energy (incineration) project at Brahmapuram, which already hosts a waste treatment plant.

The construction and operation of these scientific landfills will be executed through dedicated funding frameworks. Land acquisition funds for the remaining five districts, Kannur, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram, will be allocated in subsequent phases.

Unlike conventional, open dump sites, these engineered landfills will feature an impermeable base liner to prevent toxic runoff (leachate) from seeping into the soil and contaminating groundwater. The leachate will be systematically collected and treated, and the refuse will be deposited in compact layers. To eliminate foul odours and keep pests, flies, and rodents at bay, the waste will be capped regularly with soil layers. The facilities will also feature mechanisms to capture and control combustible gases like methane, as well as drainage systems to prevent rainwater from mixing with the garbage.