Abellon Clean Energy Limited (ACEL) is a Waste to Energy (WTE) developer based out of Gujarat in India, who is developing 4 WTE plants in Rajkot, Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Jamnagar of cumulative capacity 52.20 MW as of 2023. Of these four projects, the project in Jamnagar with a capacity to produce 7.5 MW of power is operational. However, since the operation of the plant in November 2021, it has caused huge air pollution and health impacts on the communities living near the plant. The communities have filed complaints against the operation of the plant to the Gujarat Pollution Control Board. Issues faced by the communities include noise pollution, air pollution, deposition of effluent smog on their residences, water pollution, health impacts etc. However, the recent disclosure by the IFC about the proposed investment in Abellon Clean Energy Limited (ACEL)/ Goodwatts Jamnagar WTE private limited has alarmed the communities and raised the fear of further aggravation of their problems because of the companies. Also, civil society organizations in the cities of Ahmedabad, Rajkot, and Vadodara have expressed that the project engenders further social, environmental and economic harms of communities living around the vicinity of the proposed plants.
Careful examination of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) reports submitted have revealed glaring flaws in the assessment. We have also identified the breach of several IFC Performance Standards, which are mandatory requirements of the IFC to its client. Furthermore, to circumvent the Government of India’s (GOI’s) environmental norms, the project proponents have deliberately chosen to keep the WTE project size as 14.9 MW instead of 15 MW, to escape Environmental Clearance (EC) mandated by the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) rules 2006. Waste-to-energy incinerators are categorized as a “red category” industry by the Central Pollution Control Board of India due to heavy pollution of air, water and soil.
WTE incinerators burn municipal solid waste which is non-renewable, to generate electricity. Discarded materials such as paper, plastic, and glass that are derived from finite natural resources, which could have otherwise been recycled and composted are burnt in WTEs.The report by the Centre for Financial Accountability which analyzed 20 waste-to-energy plants across 12 states in India, revealed how despite strong policy and financial support, WTEs in India have failed. WTE plants are a false solution to the problem of excess waste because they—
▪ Pollute air, soil, and water through the release of emissions and leachate
▪ Cause major health problems in surrounding communities
▪ Place financial burdens on local and union governments
▪ Generate one of the most expensive forms of electricity
▪ Generate hazardous ash as a residue
▪ Undermine waste prevention, reuse, and recycle
▪ Exclude local economies of recycling and waste management
Read the detailed complaint here: Complaint against ABELLON CLEAN ENERGY LIMITED (Project number- 46819)