GW&CC Unit-5 Material For Print

GLOBAL WARMING & CLIMATE CHANGES
UNIT-4
CLIMATE CHANGE AND MITIGATION MEASURES
S.NO TOPICS
1. CDM and Carbon Trading
2. Clean Technology
3. Biodiesel, Compost, Biodegradable Plastics
4. Renewable energy usage as an alternative
Mitigation Technologies and Practices within India

5.
and around the world
6. Non- renewable energy supply to all sectors
7. Carbon sequestration
International and regional cooperation for

waste disposal biomedical wastes, hazardous
8.
wastes, e-wastes, industrial wastes, etc.,
Learning Outcomes
After completing this Unit, students will be able to
 To know about the clean technology, use of renewable energy, mitigation

technologies and their practices.
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CDM and Carbon Trading:
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is a mechanism established under the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to help developed countries meet their greenhouse gas
reduction targets by investing in emission-reduction projects in developing countries. The CDM allows for the
transfer of emissions credits from the host country to the developed country, providing a financial incentive for
the development of sustainable and low-carbon projects in the host country. The main objective of the CDM is
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while promoting sustainable development in developing countries.
Objectives of Clean Development Mechanism:

A clean development mechanism project must produce measurable improvements related to climate change
mitigation. The project should provide real, long-term benefits, and they should be able to reduce greenhouse
emissions in a material way. The objectives of a clean development mechanism are:
 Contribute to the halting and prevention of climate change.
 Assist developing countries in strategy development that is long-lasting.
 Assist industrialized countries in reducing emissions and transitioning to greener energy sources.
 Assist countries in implementing creative strategies for reducing emissions.
 Diminishing the reliance on fossil fuels.
 Employing animal excrement to create energy and actively managing it.
 Decreasing the amount of pollution produced during the manufacturing process
Carbon Trading:
 The Kyoto Protocol has introduced the carbon trading system by putting a price on carbon.
 Through the granting of permits to emit a specific amount of carbon dioxide to businesses, the carbon
trading system works to reduce carbon emissions.
 The government determines the number of permits, and then issues permit to businesses based on a
number of criteria (such as how much output a firm produces).
 Once a company has the permits, it can trade them on the open market.
 For instance, a company could purchase additional licenses if it intends to produce more pollution.
 It may sell its extra licenses on the open market if it decreased its pollution emissions.
Significance:
 Help achieve current and future climate ambitions by tapping existing markets.
 Bring about development co-benefits: improve air quality and health outcomes and ensure energy
security.
 trading in sulphur dioxide permits helping to limit acid rain in the US.
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 Carbon trading is much easier to implement than expensive direct regulations, and unpopular carbon
taxes.
 If regional cap and trade schemes can be joined up globally, with a strong carbon price, it could be a
relatively pain-free and speedy method to help the worlds decarbonise.
 Boost competitive advantage of businesses by reducing risk of stranded assets.
 Open low carbon opportunities for MSMEs through
 Technology transfer
 Spur clean innovation
 Provide liquidity to Indian credits
 Unlock climate finance
Challenges:
 Creating a market in something with no intrinsic value such as carbon dioxide is difficult.
 Need to promote scarcity – and you have to strictly limit the right to emit so that it can be traded.
 In the world’s biggest carbon trading scheme, the EU ETS, political interference has created gluts of
permits.
 On account of corruption, carbon credits have often been given away for free, which has led to a
collapse in the price and no effective reductions in emissions.
 Another problem is that offset permits, gained from paying for pollution reductions in poorer countries,
are allowed to be traded as well.
 The importance of these permits in reducing carbon emissions is questionable and the effectiveness of
the overall cap and trade scheme is also reduced.
 Greenwashing – in which companies falsely market their green credentials, for example,
misrepresentations of climate-neutral products or services
Carbon Trading - Working
 The total amount of carbon that each nation is permitted to release is essentially capped/ limited.

 The right to emit more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is then available for purchase from nations
with lower carbon emissions through carbon emissions trading.
 The term "carbon trading" also refers to a legislative framework known as "cap and trade," which
enables specific businesses to exchange polluting rights.
 Businesses that produce less pollution can sell their unused pollution rights as credits to businesses
that produce greater pollution.
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 The intention is to ensure that businesses as a whole don't pollute above a certain threshold and to give
businesses a financial incentive to do so.
Other Ways to Reduce Carbon Emissions

Alternative strategies to cut carbon emissions include:
 Promotion of the local economy in line with the principles of sustainable development.

 Encouraging energy conservation locally because residents are familiar with the advantages and limits
of the specific terrain.
 Promoting ecologically friendly alternatives while taking into account what waste products are.
 It should not be consumed for other future projects if the waste product is being used for
any sustainable economic activity, unless there is an excess of the same.
 Community-owned energy production supports a need at the grassroots level to ensure sustainable
and successful energy production.
 Carbon taxes must be raised while also encouraging and assisting green technology and energy.
 Limiting tax evasion inside nations might boost tax revenue, which could then be used to fund green
technology.
 Subsidies for fossil fuels must be diverted to clean energy. Global subsidies for the extraction and use
of fossil fuels are thought to total $700 billion annually.
Clean technology:
Clean technology, in short cleantech, is any process, product, or service that reduces negative
environmental impacts through significant energy efficiency improvements, the sustainable use of resources, or
environmental protection activities.
Clean technology includes a broad range of technology related to recycling, renewable

energy, information technology, green transportation, electric motors, green chemistry, lighting, grey water, and
more. Environmental finance is a method by which new clean technology projects can obtain financing through
the generation of carbon credits.
Clean technology is:
1. Eco-friendly technologies are used to manage the ecosystem such that it doesn't harm the ecosystem.
2. Eco-efficient technologies are used to create more goods and services with less utilization of resources
and with much waste or pollution.
3. Clean technologies fall under both categories. They are both, eco-friendly and eco-efficient.
Hence, clean technologies are those technologies that are both eco-friendly and eco-efficient. Some
examples for those are CFLs, Solar heating devices, energy-efficient refrigerators etc.
There are three broad categories of clean technologies:
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1.Low and non-waste technologies (LNWT) of production aimed at waste minimization at all points in the cycle
of production through process changes, good housekeeping, recycle and reuse, equipment design, and product
formulations,
2. Recycle technologies designed to recover raw materials, energy, water and by-products in the course of end-
of-pipe treatment,
3. Waste utilization technologies for reclamation and utilization of waste to manufacture products with various
end uses. Waste minimization has to be achieved through more selective, environmentally benign methods.
United Nations: Sustainable Development Goals related to Clean Technology:
The United Nations has set goals for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is called
"Sustainable Development Goals" composed of 17 goals and 232 indicators total. These goals are designed to
build a sustainable future and to implement in the countries (member states) in the UN. Many parts of the 17
goals are related to the usage of clean technology since it is eventually an essential part of designing a
sustainable future in various areas such as land, cities, industries, climate, etc.
 Goal 6: "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all"
o Various kinds of clean water technology are used to fulfill this goal, such as filters, technology
for desalination, filtered water fountains for communities, etc.
 Goal 7: "Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all"
o Promoting countries for implementing renewable energy is making remarkable progress, such as:
 "From 2012 to 2014, three quarters of the world’s 20 largest energy-consuming countries
had reduced their energy intensity — the ratio of energy used per unit of GDP. The
reduction was driven mainly by greater efficiencies in the industry and transport sectors.
However, that progress is still not sufficient to meet the target of doubling the global rate
of improvement in energy efficiency."
 Goal 11: "Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable"
o By designing sustainable cities and communities, clean technology takes parts in the
architectural aspect, transportation, and city environment. For example:
 Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI) - Relaunched to accelerate progress on

decarbonizing road transport. Its main goal for passenger vehicles, in line with SDG 7.3,
is to double the energy efficiency of new vehicles by 2030. This will also help mitigate
climate change by reducing harmful CO2 emissions.
 Goal 13: "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*"
o Greenhouse gas emissions have significantly impacted the climate, and this results in a rapid
solution for consistently increasing emission levels. United Nations held the "Paris Agreement"
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for dealing with greenhouse gas emissions mainly within countries and for finding solutions and
setting goals.
Biodiesel:
Biodiesel is an alternative clean-burning renewable fuel similar to conventional diesel. It is produced

using animal fats, vegetable oils, and waste cooking oil. Due to its biodegradable nature, it is used as a
replacement for fossil diesel fuel. It can also be mixed with petroleum diesel fuel in any proportion.
 Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an organic matter (living or once living material) in a
short period of time (days, weeks, or even months) is considered a biofuel.
 Biofuels may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.
o Solid: Wood, dried plant material, and manure
o Liquid: Bioethanol and Biodiesel
o Gaseous: Biogas
 These can be used to replace or can be used in addition to diesel, petrol or other fossil fuels for
transport, stationary, portable and other applications. Also, they can be used to generate heat and
electricity.
 Some of the main reasons for shifting to biofuels are the rising prices of oil, emission of greenhouse
gases from fossil fuels and the interest in obtaining fuel from agricultural crops for the benefit of
farmers.
Different Categories of Biofuels:
 First Generation Biofuels:

o These are made from food sources such as sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats using
conventional technology.
o Common first-generation biofuels include Bioalcohols, Biodiesel, Vegetable oil, Bioethers, Biogas.
o Though the process of conversion is easy but use of food sources in the production of biofuels
creates an imbalance in the food economy, leading to increased food prices and hunger.
 Second Generation Biofuels:
o These are produced from non-food crops or portions of food crops that are not edible and considered
as wastes, e.g., stems, husks, wood chips, and fruit skins and peeling.
 Examples include cellulose ethanol, biodiesel.
o Thermochemical reactions or biochemical conversion processes are used for producing such fuels.
o Though these fuels do not affect food economy, their production is quite complicated.
o Also, it is reported that these biofuels emit less greenhouse gases when compared to first generation
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biofuels.
 Third Generation Biofuels:
o These are produced from micro-organisms like algae.
o Example- Butanol
o Micro-organisms like algae can be grown using land and water unsuitable for food production,
therefore reducing the strain on already depleted water sources.
o One disadvantage is that fertilizers used in the production of such crops lead to environmental
pollution.
 Fourth Generation Biofuels:
o In the production of these fuels, crops that are genetically engineered to take in high amounts of
carbon are grown and harvested as biomass.
o The crops are then converted into fuel using second generation techniques.
o The fuel is pre-combusted, and the carbon is captured. Then the carbon is geo-sequestered, meaning
that the carbon is stored in depleted oil or gas fields or in unmineable coal seams.
o Some of these fuels are considered carbon negative as their production pulls out carbon from the
environment.
Major Types of Biofuels
 It is derived from corn and sugarcane using fermentation process.

 A litre of ethanol contains approximately two thirds of the energy provided by a
Bioethanol litre of petrol.
 When mixed with petrol, it improves combustion performance and lowers the
emissions of carbon monoxide and sulphur oxide.
 It is derived from vegetable oils like soybean oil or palm oil, vegetable waste
oils, and animal fats by a biochemical process called “Transesterification.”
Biodiesel
 It produces very less or no amount of harmful gases as compared to diesel.
 It can be used as an alternative for to conventional diesel fuel.
 It is produced by anaerobic decomposition of organic matter like sewage

from animals and humans.
 Major proportions of biogas are methane and carbon dioxide, though it also has
Biogas
small proportions of hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and
siloxanes.
 It is commonly used for heating, electricity and for automobiles.
Biobutanol  It is produced in the same way as bioethanol, i.e., through the fermentation of
starch.
 The energy content in butanol is the highest among the other gasoline
alternatives. It can be added to diesel to reduce emissions.
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 It serves as a solvent in textile industry and is also used as a base in perfumes.
 Biohydrogen, like biogas, can be produced using a number of processes such as

Biohydrogen pyrolysis, gasification or biological fermentation.
 It can be the perfect alternative for fossil fuel.
Advantages of Biofuels:
 Availability: Biofuels are produced from biomass and thus are renewable.
 Source Material: Whereas oil is a limited resource that comes from specific materials, biofuels can be
manufactured from a wide range of materials including crop waste, manure, and other byproducts.
 Environment Pollution: Biofuels do not release as much carbon as fossil fuels do but fertilizers that are
used in the growing biofuels lead to greenhouse emissions. Also, biofuels can help in managing
municipal solid wastes i.e., the waste can be converted into fuel.
 Security: Biofuels can be produced locally, which decreases the nation's dependence upon foreign
energy. By reducing dependence on foreign fuel sources, countries can protect the integrity of their
energy resources and make them safe from outside influences.
 Economic Stimulation: Because biofuels are produced locally, biofuel manufacturing plants can
employ hundreds or thousands of workers, creating new jobs in rural areas. Biofuel production will also
increase the demand for suitable biofuel crops, providing economic stimulation to the agriculture
industry.
Disadvantages of Biofuels:
 Efficiency: Fossil Fuels produce more energy than some of the biofuels. E.g., 1 gallon of ethanol
produces less energy as compared to 1 gallon of gasoline (a fossil fuel).
 Cost: Pumping fossil fuels from the ground is a difficult and expensive process leading to high costs.
Production of biofuels requires land, this impacts cost of biofuels as well as that of food crops.
o Also, though growing engineered biofuel crops can benefit farmers commercially but the excess
number of such crops can also lead to loss of biodiversity.
 Food Shortages: There is concern that using valuable cropland to grow fuel crops could have an impact
on the cost of food and could possibly lead to food shortages.
 Water Use: Massive quantities of water are required for proper irrigation of biofuel crops as well as to
manufacture the fuel, which could strain local and regional water resources.
Evolution of Biofuels in India
India began examining the feasibility of blending ethanol with petrol. Six technical committees
1975
and four study groups were set up for the same.
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The Indian Oil Corporation conducted trials on 15 passenger cars & 21 two & three wheelers
1980
using 10% and 20% anhydrous ethanol blends.
The government mandated blending of 5% ethanol in nine states and four union territories with a
2002
Rs 0.75 excise duty exemption. A Committee on Development of Biofuels was also constituted.
The committee recommended strengthening the ongoing programme of blending ethanol with
2003 petrol & launching a National Mission on Biodiesel based on jatropha plantation. Meanwhile
the National Auto Fuel Policy recommended commercialisation of biofuel vehicles.
Problems related to feedstock supply of molasses forced the Indian government to suspend
2004
mandatory blending of ethanol in petrol.
The resurgence in sugar and molasses production in 2005 resulted in renewed interest in ethanol
2005 programme. The government fixed the purchase price of ethanol by oil companies at Rs 18.25
per litre.
The government announced a Biodiesel Purchase Policy, fixing the purchase price for oil
2006
companies at Rs 25 per litre.
The National Biofuels Draft Policy came to light. A Biofuel Mission focusing specifically on

2007
pongamia and jatropha plants was also launched.
2009 National Biofuel Policy, 2009 launched.
Recent Initiatives Regarding Biofuels:
 Initiatives by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology:
o The department successfully developed 2G Ethanol and transferred the technology to Oil

Marketing Companies (OMCs).
o Developed Indigenous Cellulolytic Enzyme for the production of biofuels.
o Demonstrated micro algae based sewage treatment technology.
o It has strengthened the international collaboration to accelerate innovation in Sustainable Biofuel

through multilateral programs like Mission Innovation and Biofuture Platform.
o It is training & encouraging young researchers in the field of Bioenergy through

Fellowships/Awards.
 Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana, 2019: The objective of the scheme is to create an ecosystem for
setting up commercial projects and to boost Research and Development in 2G Ethanol sector.
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 Ethanol blending: The 2018 Biofuel Policy has the objective of reaching 20% ethanol-blending and
5% biodiesel-blending by the year 2030.
o Recently, instead of 2030, the Centre plans to move ahead with its ethanol blending target of
20% of petrol containing ethanol by 2025-26.
 It will promote the production of biofuels in the country, under the Make in India

program, by units located in Special Economic Zones (SEZ)/ Export Oriented Units
(EoUs).
 GOBAR (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) DHAN scheme, 2018: It focuses on managing
and converting cattle dung and solid waste in farms to useful compost, biogas and bio-CNG, thus
keeping villages clean and increasing the income of rural households. It was launched under Swachh
Bharat Mission (Gramin).
 Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO): It was launched by Food Safety and Standards Authority of
India (FSSAI) and aims for an ecosystem that will enable the collection and conversion of used cooking
oil to biodiesel.
 National Policy on Biofuels, 2018:
o The Policy categorises biofuels as "Basic Biofuels" viz. First Generation (1G) bioethanol &
biodiesel and "Advanced Biofuels" - Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste
(MSW) to drop-in fuels, Third Generation (3G) biofuels, bio-CNG etc. to enable extension of
appropriate financial and fiscal incentives under each category.
o It expands the scope of raw material for ethanol production by allowing use of sugarcane
juice, sugar containing materials like sugar beet, sweet sorghum, starch containing materials like
corn, cassava, damaged food grains like wheat, broken rice, rotten potatoes, unfit for human
consumption for ethanol production.
Compost:
Composting is the natural process of turning organic matter in waste into a beneficial fertilizer that can
benefit both soil and plants. Composting converts organic waste such as food waste, manure, leaves, grass
trimmings, paper, wood, feathers, agricultural residue, etc. into beneficial organic fertilizer by using various
microorganisms such as bacteria and fungus. Farmers can use this to increase their harvests.
 Composting is a biological process that allows the organic element of waste to decay under carefully
controlled conditions.
 The organic waste material is decomposed by microbes, which reduces its volume by up to 50%.
 Compost or humus is the name for this stabilized product. It has the texture and odor of potting soil and
can be used as a soil conditioner or mulch.
 Composting allows for the simultaneous digestion and recycling of waste and sewage sludge.
 Composting is projected to become increasingly popular as more rigorous environmental regulations
and site constraints limit the use of solid-waste incineration and landfill options.
 Sorting and segregating the waste, size reduction, and waste digestion are all processes in the process.
Compostable Wastes
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 Compostable materials include anything that can be consumed or cultivated in a field or garden.
 Compostable materials include fruits, vegetables, dairy products, cereals, bread, unbleached paper
napkins, coffee filters, eggshells, meats, and newspapers.
 Plastics, grease, glass, and metals, such as plastic utensils, condiment packages, plastic wrap, plastic
bags, foil, silverware, drinking straws, bottles, polystyrene, and chemicals, cannot be composted.
 Red meat, bones, and small bits of paper can be composed, but they decompose more slowly.
Composting – Phases:
Composting goes through three main phases under optimal conditions:

 Mesophilic Phase: It is an initial phase where mesophilic bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes,
Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli decompose the material at moderate temperatures.
 Thermophilic Phase: As the temperature rises, a second, thermophilic phase begins, in which diverse
thermophilic bacteria such as lactobacilli, Streptococcus thermophilus and bifidobacteria carry out
breakdown at higher temperatures (50 to 60 °C).
 Maturation Phase: In the maturation phase, when the supply of high-energy molecules diminishes, the
temperature begins to drop, and mesophilic bacteria once again take the lead.
Composting – Advantages
 Reduction in Methane: Methane, a strong greenhouse gas, is produced by organic waste in landfills.

Methane emissions are considerably decreased when discarded food and other organics are composted.
 Reduction in Chemical Fertilizers: Chemical fertilizers are reduced, and in some cases eliminated, by
compost.
 Boosts Crop Yields: Compost encourages agricultural crop yields to increase.
 Aids in Rejuvenation: By rehabilitating contaminated, compacted, and marginal soils, compost can
help with reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat rejuvenation projects.
 Rehabilitate Soils: Compost can be used to rehabilitate soils that have been contaminated by hazardous
waste at a low cost.
 Money Saver: Wherever applicable, compost can save money over traditional soil, water, and air
pollution remediation solutions.
 Improves Moisture Dispersion: Compost assists with water absorption and penetration into the soil by
reducing soil crusting. According to new research, adding compost to sandy soils can help with moisture
dispersion by allowing water to travel laterally from its place of application.
 Aids Carbon Sequestration: When compost is added to the soil, the soil's health improves as microbes
multiply and become more abundant. From photosynthesis, these microorganisms sequester carbon in
the soil. Thus carbon sequestration is a great benefit of compost.
Composting – Challenges
 Availability: This compost's availability is solely dependent on suitable distribution systems, which are
now lacking in India.
 Functions of Government Schemes: Because of its administrative complexity, government schemes
for composite have not functioned well.
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 Great Volume: Compost's great volume but low value makes it less appealing to fertilizer marketing
businesses to promote its use.
 Compliance With Government’s Requirement: Compost producers are finding it more difficult to
meet the Fertiliser Control Order's quality requirements (FCO).
Compost and Vermicompost – Differences

Compost Vermicompost
Definition
It is produced using all types of wastes. It is produced from organic wastes.
Nutrients Content
Nutrients content is less. Nutrients content is more.
Space Requirement
Requirement of more space. Requirement of lesser space.
Organic Remains
Organic remains are decomposed by microbes. Organic remains are pulverized by earthworms.
Type of Microbes
Thermophilic bacteria. Mesophilic bacteria.
Time Requirement
Consumes more time in the production of compost. Consume less time, as it produces compost faster.
Minerals Supplements
Rich in both micronutrients and trace minerals. Rich in hormones, micronutrients and trace
minerals.
Plant Growth Regulators
Plant growth regulators are absent. Plant growth regulators are present.
Labours and Maintenance
Requires more labourers and more maintenance. Requires fewer labourers and less maintenance.
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Biodegradable Plastic:
 A product is biodegradable when it can be decomposed by biological organisms such as bacteria, fungi,
algae, etc in a favourable environment.
 Plastics developed form biomass (plants) such as corn, sugarcane, vegetable oil or wood pulp can be
converted into natural substances like water, carbon dioxide, and compost by the action of micro-
organisms.
 They are preferred since they come from renewable sources and can be used to reduce the problem of
contaminating plastic waste that is suffocating the planet and contaminating the environment.
Types of Biodegradable Plastics
Bio-plastics
 These are made completely from natural substances such as corn starch and save energy and emit less
carbon.
 Cellulose-based plastics can be made from wood pulp and are used for making film based materials such
as wrappers.
 Thermoplastics are starch-based products and can be used for production of drug capsules as starch has
ability to absorb moisture.
Biodegradable plastics
 These are made from traditional petrochemicals but are designed to decompose faster by additives that
speed up their rate of decay in the presence of oxygen and light.
 Common examples of such plastics include polybutyrate adipate terephthalate (PBAT), polybutylene
succinate (PBS), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH/PVA), and polycaprolactone (PCL).
How are Biodegradable Plastics Made?

 Biodegradable plastics are made in a way that they can breakdown or degrade when exposed to the sun’s
ultra-violet radiation, enzymes, bacteria, water, or wind abrasion. They are made from renewable raw
materials or all-natural plant or animal materials such as orange peels, corn oil, switchgrass, soybeans,
micro-organisms, or starch
 The industrial processing of biodegradable plastics is like the manufacture of ordinary plastic, only that
the materials used differ, and for bio-degradable plastics; they are the materials that can easily break
down or decompose. They are mainly categorized into two:
 Bioplastics; are purely made from natural substances such as corn starch. Examples of those made
from corn starch. In their manufacturing process, they save energy and emit less carbon as the plants
used already have the same amount of carbon.
 Biodegradable plastics; made from traditional petrochemicals but designed to break down faster.
They have additives that speed up their rate of decay or breakdown in the presence of oxygen and
light.
 The presence of moisture also accelerates the breakdown process. Mainly, they get a breakdown in
the presence of the sun’s UV light with some only breaking down at high industrial-scale
temperatures.
 The most common examples include polybutyrate adipate terephthalate (PBAT), polybutylene
succinate (PBS), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH/PVA), and polycaprolactone (PCL).
Advantages of Using Biodegradable Plastics

 Biodegradable Plastics are easy to Recycle
 They Consume less energy during their manufacture
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 Biodegradable plastics are a better choice as they are broken down easily and can be absorbed by the
soil or converted into compost.
 Composting bioplastic products can make the soil fertile, thereby enhancing soil fertility.
 Since fossil fuels are not required in the manufacturing process of such nature-friendly, biodegradable
plastic products, carbon dioxide emissions are also curtailed.
 The use of biodegradable plastic products instead of traditional plastics lessens the amount of
greenhouse gas emissions
Disadvantages of Biodegradable Plastics

 Need for Costly Equipment for Both Processing and Recycling
 Risk of Contamination due to confusion differentiating between Bio-degradable and Non-Biodegradable
Plastics
 Biodegradable Plastics may produce Methane in landfills
 There is a need for more crops and croplands to produce Biodegradable Plastics.
Types of Biodegradable Plastics
Bioplastics – produced partly or entirely with biologically sourced polymers. They can be derived from plants
or in combination with synthetic polymers. Bioplastics are not completely bio degradable as they leave some
residue.
Oxo-biodegradable plastics – conventional plastics with additives to break down faster. The additives just
promote fragmentation of the materials, meaning that the plastic doesn’t fully degrade – it simply breaks down
into tiny fragments that remain in the environment. Afterward, they persist as huge quantities of microplastics
rather than a biological material.
Photo-biodegradable – reacts to ultra-violet light, and it requires initial oxo-degradation
Hydro-biodegradable plastics – made from plant sources (like starch) and the degradation is initiated by
hydrolysis
Examples of bioplastics and biodegradable plastics available in the market
 Starch-based plastics
 Bacteria-based plastics
 Soy-based plastics
 Cellulose-based plastics
 Lignin-based plastics and
 Natural fibres reinforcement plastic
Renewable energy usage as an alternative:
Renewable energy is energy that is produced from natural processes and continuously replenished. A few
examples of renewable energy are sunlight, water, wind, tides, geothermal heat, and biomass. The energy that is
provided by renewable energy resources is used in 5 important areas such as air and water cooling/heating,
electricity generation, the rural sector, and transportation.
Examples of Renewable Energy
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We can define renewable energy as those energies which can never be depleted. The importance of renewable
energy is invaluable. These types of energy sources are different from fossil fuels, such as oil, coal, and natural
gas. Some examples of renewable energy sources are:
 Wind energy
 Solar energy
 Geothermal energy
 Hydropower
 Biomass energy
Types of Renewable Energy:
1. Solar Energy: The radiant light and heat energy from the sun is harnessed with the use of solar
collectors. These solar collectors are of various types such as photovoltaics, concentrator photovoltaics,
solar heating, (CSP) concentrated solar power, artificial photosynthesis, and solar architecture. This
collected solar energy is then used to provide light, heat, and different other forms of electricity.
2. Wind Energy: The energy we get from winds is known as wind energy. For this, windmills have been
used for hundreds of years to pump out water from the ground. We use large tall wind turbines that
allow winds to generate electricity. The natural airflow on the surface of the earth is used to run the wind
turbines. The modern-day wind turbines range from about 600 Kilowatt to 5 Megawatts, for commercial
purposes these are rated with an output power of 1.5 to 3 Megawatts. The most preferred locations for
these wind turbines to be installed are the areas which and strong and have constant airflows on offshore
and sites that are at high altitudes. The power generated from wind energy in 2015 met 4% of global
energy consumption.
3. Hydroelectricity: According to statistics, hydroelectricity generated around 16.6% of the global energy

resources and constituted about 70% of all renewable electricity. This energy is another alternative
source of energy that is generated by the construction of dams and reservoirs on the flowing water, the
kinetic energy from the flowing water is used to run the turbines which generate electricity. Tidal power
converts the energy of tides and Wave power which captures the energy from the surface of the ocean
waves for power generation. These two forms of hydropower also have huge potential in electric power
generation.
4. Geothermal Energy: It is the energy that is generated from the thermal energy which is stored in the
earth. The heat energy is captured from sources such as hot springs and volcanoes and this heat is
directly used by industries for heating the water and other purposes.
5. Biomass Energy: This type of energy is derived from biomass which is a type of biological material
derived from living organisms and plant-derived materials which are called lignocellulosic biomass.
Biomass can be directly used via combustion to produce heat and indirectly it can be used to convert to
biofuels. Biomass can be converted to other usable forms of energy such as transportation fuels like
ethanol, biodiesel, and methane gas.
Sources of Renewable Energy:

 Primary Sources - Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and geo-thermal are the primary
sources.
 Secondary sources - Nonrenewable energy derived from the conversion of coal, oil, natural gas, and
other fossil fuels.
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Renewable Energy in India:
 India is the world's third largest electricity consumer and third largest renewable energy producer, with
renewable energy accounting for 38% (136 GW out of 373 GW) of total installed energy capacity in
2020.
 According to Ernst & Young's (EY) 2021 Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI),
India is ranked third, after the United States and China.
 India committed to producing 50% of its total electricity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030 as part of
the Paris Agreement's Intended Nationally Determined Contributions targets in 2016.
 The Central Electricity Authority of India set a goal of producing 50% of total electricity from non-fossil
fuel sources by 2030 in 2018.
 The government has increased the target for renewable energy capacity to 175 GW by 2022, which
includes 100 GW from solar, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from biopower, and 5 GW from small
hydropower.
 India has also set a renewable energy target of 500 GW by 2030.
 As of September 2020, 89.22 GW of solar energy is already operational, 48.21 GW of projects are in
various stages of completion, and 25.64 GW of projects are in various stages of bidding.
 In 2020, three of the world's top five largest solar parks were in India,
o including the world's largest 2255 MW Bhadla Solar Park in Rajasthan;
o world's second-largest solar park, Pavgada Solar Park Tumkur in Karnataka; and
o 100MW Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.
 Wind power in India has a strong manufacturing base, with 20 manufacturers producing 53 different
wind turbine models of international quality up to 3 MW in size, with exports to Europe, the United
States, and other countries.
 In terms of installed hydroelectric power capacity, India ranks fifth worldwide.
 As of 31 March 2020, India's installed utility-scale hydroelectric capacity was 45,699 MW, or 12.35%
of its total utility power generation capacity.
 As of November 2020, India had 10 nuclear reactors under construction with a combined capacity of 8
GW and 23 existing nuclear reactors in operation in 7 nuclear power plants with a total installed
capacity of 7.4 GW (3.11% of total power generation in India).
 Nuclear power is India's fifth-largest source of electricity, trailing coal, gas, hydroelectricity, and wind
power.
Installed Power Generation Capacity in India
 India's installed renewable energy capacity stood at 158.12 GW as of April 2022, accounting
for 39.43% of total installed power capacity.
o Solar: 55.34 GW
o Wind: 40.53 GW
o Small hydro Power: 4.85 GW
o Bio-power: 10.68 GW
o Large Hydro: 46.72 GW
 India has the world's fourth-largest wind power capacity.
 At the COP26, India committed to achieving 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil
fuel sources by 2030.
Renewable Energy - Benefits
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 Private-sector opportunity: PM indicated the possibility of a $20 billion-per-year business in the
renewable energy sector.
o A target of 450 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 implies that we must add nearly 25-
30 GW of renewable energy capacity per year.
o The private sector can capitalise on this as a high return on investment opportunity.
 Low maintenance costs: When compared to traditional energy sources such as coal-based or oil-based
thermal power plants, solar energy has the advantage of almost no need for fuel procurement as well as
less wear and tear due to the lack of movement of parts.
 Government incentives: Renewable energy will always be incentivized to invest additional resources
and create more energy capacity.
 Sustainability: Because renewable energy is a cleaner source of pollution, it benefits the environment in
general while also reducing pollution and the diseases associated with it.
 Atmanirbhar Bharat: Private sector investment in renewable energy would also help the government
achieve its goal of self-reliance. It will also generate job opportunities in the country.
 Last-mile connectivity: Because renewable energy can be decentralised, it is better suited to extending
last-mile connectivity in remote areas where stretching the main grid may not be financially feasible.
o This is also cost-effective for the government and citizens because decentralised connectivity
reduces transmission and distribution losses.
Renewable Energy – Challenges:
 Solar and wind energy are inherently variable in terms of availability, both spatially and geographically.
o Unlike thermal or nuclear energy, they are not available on demand. As a result, they must be
supplemented with other sources of energy in order to maintain the base load.
 To overcome the variable nature of renewable energy sources, it is critical to invest in affordable large-
capacity batteries. This would necessitate sufficient government commitment to instil confidence in the
private sector.
 Renewable energy necessitates the establishment of large-scale projects in order to capitalise on
economies of scale. This necessitates a significant initial investment, which can be a deterrent at the start
of the project.
 It is critical to establish manufacturing capacity in India in order to reduce imports and promote
Atmanirbhar Bharat. More manufacturing would also result in increased investment and job creation in
India.
Mitigation Technologies and Practices within India and around the world
The initiatives can be classified into two broad categories:
 Mitigation: Reducing the emission of the greenhouse gases causing the rise in temperature
 Adaptation: Building the capacity of the community through financial, technical and other
infrastructural support to minimize the losses due to the climate change.
The major initiative are:
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), 2008
 National Solar Mission (MNRE) – Goal for increasing the development of solar technologies such as
increasing production of photo-voltaic to 1000 MW/year, Establishing the solar research center and
promoting international collaboration.
 National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (MoP)– Energy consumption reduction in industries;
trading energy-savings certificates; energy incentives like lower taxes on energy-efficient appliances
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 National Mission on Sustainable Habitat (MoHUA) – Better waste management; power from waste;
extending energy conservation building code; incentivizing fuel efficient vehicles; energy efficiency as
part of urban planning; public transport promotion
 National Water Mission (MoWR) – Improving water use efficiency with the use of pricing and other
measures
 National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (MoS&T) – conserve biodiversity, forest
cover, and glaciers of the Himalayan region
 National Mission for “Green India” (MoEFCC) – expanding forest cover from 23% to 33% of India’s
territory.
 National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (MoA) – climate-resilient crops, crop insurance,
sustainable agricultural practices.
 National Mission on Strategic Knowledge Platform for Climate Change (MoS&T) – Climate Science
Research Fund; better climate modeling; international collaboration; private sector participation in the
technologies for the adaptation and mitigation
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
 Management tool to regulate the impact of industries on the environment for ensuring optimal use of
natural resources for sustainable development
 Applicable for major projects like infrastructure, thermal and nuclear power, industries, mining etc.
 Industrial categorization (Red, Orange, Green and White) according to their impact to maintain balance
between regulation and ease of doing business. White industries do not require EIA approval
Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ)
 Notified by the around Protected Areas such as National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.

 Objective is to create “shock absorbers” for the protected areas by regulating and managing the activities
that threaten the forest areas e.g. Western Ghats
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)
 10 Cr household of the 24 Cr still use biomass such as firewood and cow dung for cooking causing
hazardous pollution damaging the health of the household members and the environment
 Government plans to provide free LPG connections to 5 Cr BPL households to reduce their dependence
on the polluting cooking fuel

Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC), 2017
 Developed by Power Ministry and BEE, ECBC seeks to promote low carbon growth by integrating the
renewable energy sources in the design of the buildings
 For a building to be ECBC compliant it has to show at least 25% savings in the energy consumption
 It is estimated that adoption of ECBC throughout the country would reduce at least 50% of the energy
use by 2030
Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA)
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 It evaluates the environmental performance of a building holistically over its entire life cycle, thereby
providing a definitive standard for what constitutes a green building
 GRIHA, developed by TERI has been adopted by government as the national rating system for the green
building
Unnat Jyoti by Affordable Lighting for All (UJALA)
 To promote efficient lighting, enhance awareness on using efficient equipment which reduce electricity
bills and help preserve environment.
Mitigation Technologies and Practices around the world - International agreements and
initiatives:
Paris Climate Agreement 2015
India ratified the deal in 2016. As per the INDCs submitted by India, it has committed to the following
targets:
 Reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 per cent by 2030 from 2005 level
 40% of cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030 with financial
and technical help from other countries and GCF
 Additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tons of CO2 equivalent by 2030
 Enhancing investments in development programs in sectors vulnerable to climate change, particularly
agriculture, water resources etc.
 Joint collaborative R&D for such future technologies
Kigali Agreement:
 Makes an amendment to the successful and legally binding Montreal protocol (for ODS) to phase out
Hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs) – thousands time more potent GHG than CO2
 India has agreed to phase down HFCs starting 2028 and reduce it by 85% of 2024-2026 levels till 2047
 The agreement is legally binding
International Solar Alliance (ISA)
 It is an alliance of about 121 nations heralded by France and India, lying partly or completely between
the tropics to harness their solar energy potential by collaborative efforts in the field of solar
technologies
Mission Innovation
 It is a global initiative of 22 countries and EU to accelerate global clean energy innovation. Participating
countries have committed to double their governments’ clean energy R&D investments over 5 years. It
also seeks to encourage private sector investment in transformative clean energy technologies.
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Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
 It refers to a market mechanism for achieving GHG emissions reduction under the Kyoto protocol. It
allows an industrialized/developed country with an emission-reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol
to implement an emission-reduction project in any of those developing countries and earn
tradable Certified Emission Reduction (CER) credits, each equivalent to one ton of CO2.
 Between 2003-11, a total of 2,295 projects have been registered in India under CDM, second highest in
the world after China(2)
Rural women solar engineers (Solar Mamas)
 India is engaged in training rural women in African nations such as Tanzania for fabrication,
installation, use, repair and maintenance of solar lanterns and household solar lighting
Non- renewable energy supply to all sectors:
 Energy exists freely in nature, some of them are infinitely available, called renewable, and some are called
non-renewable. It is our responsibility to ensure the proper use of renewable and non-renewable
energy. Non-renewable energy is limited resources that will eventually run out over the time frame. Non-
renewable energy is one that does not renew itself at a sufficient rate for sustainable economic extraction in
meaningful human time-frames.
 Non-renewable energy is energy from fossil fuels such as coal, crude oil, natural gas, and uranium.
Unlike renewable energy, non-renewable energy needs human intervention to make it suitable for
consumption. Fossil fuels are mainly made up of Carbon. It is believed that fossil fuels were formed over
300 million years ago when the earth was a lot different in its landscape.
Types of Non-renewable energy:
Non-renewable energy is mainly fossil fuels. Apart from fossil fuels, nuclear fuels are also non-renewable.
Fossil Fuels
Fossil Fuels are formed from the remains of animals and plants. Fossil fuel is divided into three categories and
is stated below:
Natural Gas Coal Oil
The process of decomposition is It is formed by the decomposition Due to excessive pressure,

longer as it is conducted with of trees, plants, and ferns which smaller organisms like
high amounts of pressure and are hardened due to pressure and zooplankton and algae are
heat. heat. decomposed into an oil.
Nuclear Fuels
Nuclear technology relying on fission requires naturally occurring radioactive material as fuel. Uranium is the
most common fission fuel and is present in the ground at relatively low concentrations and mined in 19
countries. Nuclear power provides about 6% of the world’s energy and 13–14% of the world’s electricity.
Non-Renewable Resources Examples
Following are examples of non-renewable resources:
 Coal
 Rare earth elements
 Petroleum products
 Gold
 Uranium
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Advantages of Non-renewable energy
 The non-renewable source of energy is affordable. For instance diesel and oil.
 It is easily accessible and more compatible.
 The non-renewable source of energy is easy to store.
Disadvantages of Non-renewable energy
 Non-renewable energy cannot be replaced once its energy source is used up.
 The by-products of non-renewable energy cause environmental damage. It also increases greenhouse
gases.
 Transporting fossil fuels, Mining and extraction activities can cause accidents and result in oil spills,
nuclear meltdowns, pipeline leaks, and even explosions which cause harmful effects on the environment.
Use of non-renewable energy in various sectors:
 Transportation
 Factories
 Power production
 Food industry
 Manufacturing industry
 Auto mobile sector
Carbon sequestration:
Carbon capture and sequestration is the process of capturing waste carbon dioxide (CO2) from large point
sources, such as fossil fuel power plants, transporting it to a storage site, and depositing it where it will not enter
the atmosphere, normally an underground geological formation.
Carbon dioxide is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical, and physical
processes. These changes can be accelerated through changes in land use and agricultural practices, such as
converting crop and livestock grazing land into land for non-crop fast-growing plants. Artificial processes have
been devised to produce similar effects, including large-scale, artificial capture and sequestration of industrially
produced carbon dioxide using subsurface saline aquifers, reservoirs, ocean water, ageing oil fields, or other
carbon sinks, bio-energy direct air capture when combined with storage.
Types of carbon sequestration
There are majorly three types of Carbon sequestration:
Terrestrial
 Terrestrial carbon sequestration is the process through which CO2 from the atmosphere is collected by
trees and plants during photosynthesis and stored as carbon in soils and biomass (tree trunks, branches,
foliage, and roots)
Geologic
 Carbon dioxide can be stored in a variety of locations, including oil and gas deposits, non-mineable coal
seams, saline formations, and shale formations with significant organic content.
Ocean
 It entails the seas absorbing, releasing, and storing a significant amount of CO2 from the atmosphere.
 There are two ways to achieve this: either by fertilizing the ocean with iron to increase its biological
productivity or by injecting CO2 into the deep sea.
 The release of iron enhances phytoplankton production, which in turn boosts photosynthesis and aids in
CO2
Research Findings: Different ways for Carbon Sequestration in India
1. Carbon dioxide can be stored permanently in saline aquifers (porous rocks holding saltwater), depleted
oil and gas fields, in coal seams and basalt rocks. Each of these has a different mechanism of holding the
carbon dioxide, such as adsorption, compression and mineralisation.
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2. The researchers examined all the 26 sedimentary basins of India and determined that the country’s
potential holds anywhere between 395 Gt to 614 Gt of carbon dioxide. India is estimated to emit around
2.7Gt of carbon dioxide every year. (One giga-tonne is one billion tonnes.)
3. Coal seams are a good place to put back the CO2. Coal holds methane (also a greenhouse gas) -- hence
coal-bed methane projects have great potential. But “coal has ten times more affinity for CO2 than for
methane. “
4. Basalt rocks (soft porous rocks), which essentially have silicates of elements like calcium and sodium,
can easily take in CO2. The elements become their respective carbonates and remain there permanently
– a mineralisation process.
Need for Carbon Sequestration:
1. IPCC Special Report on Global Warming presents four scenarios for limiting global temperature rise
to 1.5 degrees Celsius: All require CO2 removal and three involve major use of CCS.
2. CCS can facilitate a just transition of carbon emitting industries, and can make them net-zero emitter
in long term.
3. CCS is the cheapest way to produce low-carbon hydrogen.
Current Status on Carbon Sequestration
1. CCS is absent from intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) of most countries. Thus it
is clear that national policies have not accepted CCS as a promising technology.
2. As of 2020, there were only 26 operational CCS facilities capturing around 36-40 million tonnes of
carbon per year as cost on storage and transportation is one of the major bottlenecks for implementation
of CCS.
India and Carbon Sequestration
1. National Programme on CO2 Storage Research by Department of Science and Technology
2. India is part of the accelerating CCS technologies(ACT) initiative.
3. ACT is an international initiative of 16 countries to facilitate the emergence of CCUS via transnational
funding of projects aimed at accelerating and maturing CCUS technology through targeted innovation
and research activities.
4. ‘Industry Charter’ for near zero emissions by 2050 was agreed to by six Indian companies that will
explore different decarbonisation measures including carbon sequestration.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Carbon Sequestration
Advantages
 Planting trees and managing their growth has been shown to reduce the number of harmful particulates
in the air.
 Carbon sequestered is carbon that does not enter the atmosphere.
 Reduced carbon in the atmosphere reduces the greenhouse gas effect and mitigates the effects of climate
change.
Disadvantages
 Carbon dioxide has the potential to be stored deep underground. Hydrostatic pressure acts at depth to
keep it liquid.
 Faults in reservoir design, rock fissures, and tectonic processes may all act to release the gas stored in
the reservoir into the ocean or atmosphere.
 According to estimates from climate change panels, using the technology would cost 1-5 cents per
kilowatt-hour.
 If regulation required the use of CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) technology, the financial costs of
modern coal technology would nearly double.
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 The cost of CCS technology varies depending on the type of capture technology used and the location in
which it is implemented, but costs tend to rise with CCS capture implementation.
International and regional cooperation for waste disposalbiomedical wastes, hazardous
wastes, e-wastes, industrial wastes:
The Government of India had notified the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules in
2000, thereby making it mandatory for all urban local bodies in the country to engage in collection, segregation,
secondary storage in covered bins, transportation in covered vehicles, processing through composting or waste-
to-energy technologies and disposal of rejects in engineered/sanitary landfills.
 Door to door collection coverage is scanty at best, and segregation at household level is a rarity.
 Collection even from community bins is not regular. Collection efficiency is low.
 Processing is limited to very small portion of the waste.
 Dumping is done in land-fills without any regard for environment and without following scientific methods
of disposal. Such inadequate disposal practice lead to problems that will impair human and animal health
and result in economic, environmental and biological losses.
 Improper waste management causes public health and environmental hazards like climate change, air and
water pollution, soil contamination, spreads odours and disease, and breeds vermin including flies,
mosquitoes, rats, dogs and monkeys.
Even after 12 years, most cities have confined themselves to collection and transportation of solid
waste. Processing and safe disposal are being attempted only in a few cases.

The CPCB report also reveals that only 68% of the MSW generated in the country is collected of which,
28% is treated by the municipal authorities. Thus, merely 19% of the total waste generated is currently
treated. .
Some of the major issues concerning solid waste management are:
1. 1. Absence of segregationof waste at source

2. Lack of fundsfor waste management at ULBs
3. Lack of technical expertise and appropriate institutional arrangement
4. 4. Unwillingness of ULBsto introduce proper collection, segregation, transportation and
treatment/
disposal systems
1. Indifference of citizens towards waste management due to lack of awareness

2. Lack of community participation towards waste management and hygienic conditions
3. Lack ofsewage management plan.

The Kasturirangan report by PC highlights the need for an integrated approach:
 reduction and segregation of waste at source and also efficient utilization of various components
of the waste.
 principle of Reduce, Reuse, Recover , Recycle and Remanufacture (5Rs) should be adopted
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 motivate Resident Welfare Associations (RWA), CBO / NGO’s to take up work of community
awareness and door to door collection
 Integration of kabadiwalas and rag pickers into MSWM system
 It emphasizes setting up centralised (for incineration, gasification, pyrolysis) or decentralised (for
biomethanation, vermicomposting) waste processing facilities keeping in view the quantity and
quality of waste generated and financial viability of the processing technology.
 set up Common Regional Sanitary Landfill Facility, to reduce the land requirement. Cities above a
population of one million should set-up their own landfill and permit all cities and towns within
50km periphery of the city to use the facility for disposal of their waste.
 Recently, Deonar and Bhalswa landfill fire.
 
Internationally:
 For instance,Copenhagen recycles most of the waste it generates and lets only 3 per cent go to
the landfill.
 Japan:In Japan, Incineration has been the primary disposal route for waste due to lack of space
for landfills – 74% of all waste produced in Japan is incinerated with just 2% sent to landfill.
 Extending the idea of recycling, Kitgum town in Uganda traps used water from houses and
utilises it to grow food in greywater gardens.
Construction waste:
 Disappearance of urban water bodies and wetlands in urban areas can be attributed to
illegal dumping of C&D waste.
 In most cases, real estate developers deliberately do this to reclaim eco-sensitive areas for real
estate.
o InMumbai, builders dump C&D waste in the coastal mangroves and creeks.
o In Delhi, the Yamuna floodplain is the favourite dumping ground.
 Over the last five years, India’s first and only recycling plant for construction and demolition
(C&D) waste has saved the already-polluted Yamuna and the overflowing landfills of Delhi from
15.4 lakh tonnes of debris. The waste is crushed, washed and used to make ready-mix concrete,
kerb stones, cement bricks, pavement blocks, hollow bricks and manufactured sand.
 Several countries have found ways to manage the C&D waste: they recycle the waste and reuse
it in construction. Singapore recycles 98 per cent of it

e-waste:
 The composition of e-waste is diverse and falls under ‘hazardous’ and ‘non-hazardous’
categories.
 There are10 States that contribute to 70% of the total e-waste generated in the country ,
while 65 cities generate more than 60 per cent of the total e-waste in India.
Why is it becoming a huge problem??
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 According to aUN report, India’s e-waste from old computers alone will jump 500 per cent by
2020, compared to 2007. This warrants attention.
 Short life span of electronic products

 Further, the availability of choices, affordability of products, changing pace of life , rapid
urbanization, and increased purchasing capacity of the middle class have all contributed to the
growth of the electrical and consumer durable industry
 The growing pressure on the developing countries to import waste through bilateral or free
trade agreements is a cause of serious concern as it encourages the business of recycling wastes.
 We lack the infrastructure to process the waste.It largely takes place in informal sector.
 Risks:
 Environmental: toxic metals- lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, chromium, PCBs, CFC etc can
cause soil, water pollution, air pollution in the form of fumes due to burning (dioxins and furans)
 Health Concerns: for general populace as well as for those who handle it.
 E-waste often ends up in landfills in India!  
New advisory for safe disposal of e-wastes in Delhi:
 Bulk consumers will have to ensure safe disposal.

 Will have to file annual return
 Delhi govt has installed e-waste bins for its collection.
Biomedical Waste
 Definition: Biomedical waste is defined as human and animal anatomical waste, treatment apparatus like
needles, syringes and other materials used in health care facilities in the process of treatment and research.
o Covid-19 related Biomedical waste includes: personal protective equipment (PPE), gloves, face masks,
head cover, plastic coverall, hazmat suit, syringes among other gears and medical equipment used by both
healthcare providers and patients.
Hazardous Waste:
Biomedical waste is a biologically and chemically hazardous waste containing biological and
microbiological contamination.
 It has the potential of spreading various types of diseases.
 The covid related biomedical waste contains various medicines that are toxic in nature.
Provisions for Biomedical Waste Management: The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change
(MoEFCC) has notified the ‘Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016’.
 Also, a separate facility called Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facility (CBWTF) is there.
 It is a set up where biomedical waste generated from member health care facilities is imparted necessary
treatment to reduce adverse effects that the waste may pose on human health and environment.
 The treated recyclable waste is finally sent for disposal in a secured landfill or for recycling.
 About 200 such facilities are there in India to manage the waste.
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 India has also ratified the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and their Disposal.
Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016:
 Biomedical waste management rules came into force in 1998 and have undergone many amendments
since then.
 The rules provide that the biomedical waste shall be properly collected, treated and disposed of.
 The rules also provide that all the data that is collected from the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)
and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) has to be submitted to CPCB and finally it should go to the
MoEFCC.
 The latest major amendment was made in 2016.
 There were also a few amendments to the rules in 2018 and 2019 which included the colour coding of the
containers.
 The objective of the rules is to properly manage the per day bio-medical waste from Healthcare
Facilities (HCFs) across the country.
 Under the amendment in the rules in 2016, the ambit of the rules has been expanded to include
vaccination camps, blood donation camps, surgical camps or any other healthcare activity.
 The rules back the pre-treatment of the laboratory waste, microbiological waste, blood samples and
blood bags through disinfection or sterilisation on-site in the manner prescribed by the World Health
Organization (WHO) or by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO).
 Bio-medical waste has been classified into 4 categories instead of the earlier 10 categories to improve the
segregation of waste at source.
 The rules prescribe more stringent standards for incinerators to reduce the emission of pollutants in the
environment.
Basel Convention
 Adopted on March 22, 1989 by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Basel, Switzerland, the “Basel
Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their
Disposal”, generally known as the Basel Convention, came into force in 1992.
 It is an international treaty that aims to reduce the movement of hazardous waste between countries.
 It particularly focuses on preventing transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed
countries.
 It provides for cooperation between the parties, including exchange of information on issues relevant to the
implementation of the Convention.
India is a member of the Basel Convention.
 It ratified the convention in June 1992 and brought it into force on 22nd September 1992.
 However, India has not ratified the Basel ban amendment.
 Adopted by the parties in the Basel Convention in 1995, the amendment prohibits all export of hazardous
wastes, including electronic wastes and obsolete ships from 29 wealthiest countries of the Organization of
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to non-OECD countries.
Industrial waste:
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The waste materials generated by industries or industrial processes, is called industrial waste. It includes
chemicals, trash, oils, solvents, dirt and gravel, many harmful gases etc. These are dumped in seas, rivers or
land without adequate treatment. Thus, it has become a large source of environmental pollution.
Types of industrial wastes
Industrial waste can be divided into following two types –
Biodegradable industrial waste
Non – biodegradable industrial waste
Biodegradable Wastes – Those waste materials which can be decomposed into simpler unharmful substances
by the action of microorganisms are called biodegradable wastes. Some industries such as the paper industry,
food industry, sugar industry, wool industry etc. mostly produce biodegradable industrial wastes. Management
of these wastes can be done at low cost and easily.
Non-biodegradable Wastes – Non-biodegradable waste cannot be further decomposed via the action of the
microorganisms. Such waste is the major source of toxins in the landfills. Chemicals, metals, plastics, paints,
rubber etc. are examples of non-biodegradable wastes. These materials can remain as landfills for thousands of
years without any damage. Toxins from metals and plastics get soaked into the earth and pollute the soil and
water sources. Cleaning materials such detergent, phenols etc. producing industries, coal industries, dying
industries etc. produce a large amount of non-biodegradable industrial waste. These types of wastes are difficult
to manage and very toxic in nature.
Effects of Industrial Waste:

Industrial waste is very harmful for us and our environment. Few impacts are stated below –
 Liquid industrial waste which is thrown into the sea is at an alarmingly dangerous level for marine
ecosystems.
 Industries release many harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides etc. which
cause air pollution.
 In industrial wastewater nitrates and phosphates are there which often cause eutrophication
 Generally, air around industries is highly polluted and causes skin, eyes, throat, nose and lungs diseases.
 Industries use large quantities of water and also release a huge quantity of wastewater which contain many
harmful chemicals and heavy metals. This wastewater pollutes natural sources of water and ultimately our
health and environment.
 It is one of the main causes of global warming.
 Industrial wastewater destroys useful bacteria and other microorganisms present in soil.
 Some industries cause sound pollution as well.
 Industrial wastes and industries are destroying the natural habitat of many species and are responsiblefor
wildlife extinction.
 Proper disposal and treatment is the only solution of prevention from effects of industrial wastes.
Management of Industrial Waste :

Management of industrial solid waste is not the responsibility of local bodies or governments. Industries
which are generating these solid wastes should manage such wastes by themselves. They need to take
authorization from the pollution control board as well. Different procedures and methods are used to manage
industrial waste. Although some basic steps involved in all processes are the same. Those basic steps are as
follows –
Analysis or Segregation
SVIT-ATP Page 27
Collection
Transportation
Recovery
Recycling & Disposal
Analysis or Segregation – Industrial waste is segregated or analysed, and some biodegradable wastes or
recyclable material are kept separately. Industries should segregate waste materials in different categories such
as biodegradable, non-biodegradable, hazardous waste etc.
Collection and Transportation – Industrial waste must be collected and transported to waste management
plants.
Recovery – In waste management plants recovery should be done. It means useful materials should be
recovered from industrial wastes during treatment in waste management plants.
Recycling and Disposal – If during recovery we get any useful materials then recycling should be done and
disposal should be done of waste and harmful materials.
---&&&---
SVIT-ATP Page 28

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GLOBAL WARMING & CLIMATE CHANGES

1. CDM and Carbon Trading

3. Biodiesel, Compost, Biodegradable Plastics

4. Renewable energy usage as an alternative

Mitigation Technologies and Practices within India

6. Non- renewable energy supply to all sectors

International and regional cooperation for

After completing this Unit, students will be able to

 To know about the clean technology, use of renewable energy, mitigation

Objectives of Clean Development Mechanism:

 Boost competitive advantage of businesses by reducing risk of stranded assets.

 Open low carbon opportunities for MSMEs through

 Spur clean innovation

 Provide liquidity to Indian credits

 Unlock climate finance

 Creating a market in something with no intrinsic value such as carbon dioxide is difficult.

Carbon Trading - Working

 The total amount of carbon that each nation is permitted to release is essentially capped/ limited.

Other Ways to Reduce Carbon Emissions

 Promotion of the local economy in line with the principles of sustainable development.

Clean technology includes a broad range of technology related to recycling, renewable

Clean technology is:

There are three broad categories of clean technologies:

United Nations: Sustainable Development Goals related to Clean Technology:

 Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI) - Relaunched to accelerate progress on

Biodiesel is an alternative clean-burning renewable fuel similar to conventional diesel. It is produced

 Biofuels may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.

o Solid: Wood, dried plant material, and manure

o Liquid: Bioethanol and Biodiesel

Different Categories of Biofuels:

 First Generation Biofuels:

Major Types of Biofuels

 It is derived from corn and sugarcane using fermentation process.

 It is produced by anaerobic decomposition of organic matter like sewage

 It serves as a solvent in textile industry and is also used as a base in perfumes.

 Biohydrogen, like biogas, can be produced using a number of processes such as

The National Biofuels Draft Policy came to light. A Biofuel Mission focusing specifically on

2009 National Biofuel Policy, 2009 launched.

Recent Initiatives Regarding Biofuels:

 Initiatives by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology:

o The department successfully developed 2G Ethanol and transferred the technology to Oil

o Developed Indigenous Cellulolytic Enzyme for the production of biofuels.

o Demonstrated micro algae based sewage treatment technology.

o It has strengthened the international collaboration to accelerate innovation in Sustainable Biofuel

o It is training & encouraging young researchers in the field of Bioenergy through

 It will promote the production of biofuels in the country, under the Make in India

 National Policy on Biofuels, 2018:

Composting goes through three main phases under optimal conditions:

 Reduction in Methane: Methane, a strong greenhouse gas, is produced by organic waste in landfills.

Compost and Vermicompost – Differences

It is produced using all types of wastes. It is produced from organic wastes.

Nutrients content is less. Nutrients content is more.

Requirement of more space. Requirement of lesser space.

Thermophilic bacteria. Mesophilic bacteria.

Plant Growth Regulators

Labours and Maintenance

Types of Biodegradable Plastics

How are Biodegradable Plastics Made?

Advantages of Using Biodegradable Plastics

Disadvantages of Biodegradable Plastics

Types of Biodegradable Plastics

Photo-biodegradable – reacts to ultra-violet light, and it requires initial oxo-degradation