CDM COMPOSTING PROJECT – OKHLA, INDIA

Objective: Avoidance of methane emissions in
waste management
The project aim is to avoid methane (CH4) emissions
generated by the anaerobic decomposition of Municipal
Solid Waste (MSW) in a dump site through the con-
trolled aerobic decomposition of the MSW in a wind-
row composting process.
Background:
The Okhla composting plant was constructed in 1981
and closed in 2000, as the operation was not cost
effective due to insufficient revenues from the sale
of the compost. Like the majority of landfills in India,
the Okhla landfill was poorly controlled with no cap-
ping or landfill gas extraction, i.e. no precautions
were taken to avoid the emission of methane.
the mechanical sorting and composting of organic
waste. The materials like metals, plastics and paper
are recycled. The residual organic waste is treated
using the composting process.
> The Okhla composting plant near Delhi converts
approximately 73,000 tonnes of municipal solid
waste into compost every year. This is equivalent
to 200 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day.
The compost is utilised as organic fertiliser for
agricultural purposes.
> Around 1,600 tonnes of methane emissions are
avoided on average per year. As methane has a
Global Warming Potential of 21 this is equivalent
to 34,000 tonnes of CO2e per year.

Project description
> In May 2007 IL&FS signed a Concession Agreement
with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to rehabi-
litate the Okhla compost plant with carbon finance
support.
> Through controlled aerobic decomposition of the
waste in a windrow composting process, methane
emissions are avoided. The additional revenue from
CDM certificates has made the project viable and
the resumption of composting possible. This project
exemplifies the relevance of CDM in sustainable
climate protection.
> The project comprises the design and rebuilding
of a composting plant for organic waste. Like other
low-income cities in developing countries, waste
produced in Okhla is mostly of an organic nature.
The waste has high moisture content and density
and is suitable for aerobic composting. Therefore
composting is an attractive option for resource
recovery and environmental improvement.
> The project applies a multi-treatment of the muni-
cipal waste to avoid possible pollution. It involves
CDM COMPOSTING PROJECT – OKHLA, INDIA

Benefit: CDM finance makes avoidance of methane > Further waste management projects are being
emissions in composting plant projects possible developed and implemented and this type of
> Only the additional revenue from CDM certificates project has been transferred to other Indian
has made the project viable and the resumption of regions. RWE and IL&FS working in cooperation
composting possible. on two further composting projects close to Delhi
> The plant is semi-mechanised and creates jobs for and Varanasi, India. Both have been registered at
local people. The project provides the employment the UNFCCC as well in summer 2009.
to the community directly on the composting facility
and indirectly through waste collection, transporta-
tion of compost to the end user.
> The project avoids the emissions of methane that
would be produced by landfill, contributing to green-
house gas reduction; air and water pollution is also
prevented. The total emission reduction of the pro-
ject is 235,000 tonnes of CO2e in the crediting
period.
> Organic waste is converted to fertilizer, which not
only recycles available resources but additionally
avoids greenhouse gas emissions otherwise caused
by the production of chemical-based fertilizer.
Maintaining fertility of the soil is critical to the
agricultural economy of India. Due to the relatively
low quality of the compost the project can not be
made viable. Therefore the project will be subsidised
using revenue from carbon credit.

Project title Upgradation, Operation and Mainte-

nance of 200 TPD Composting faci-
lity at Okhla, Delhi

Project type Waste treatment, methane capture

Host country India

Project status Registered as CDM project activity at

the UNFCCC since June 22th, 2009

Crediting period: 7 years, renwable

Start: June 22th, 2009

Emission reduction start: Spring 2008

Average Emissions reductions p.a.: 34,000 t CO2e

RWE Power
Climate Protection
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I www.rwe.com/cdm-ji
Email: cdm@rwe.com