GCC to Set Up Three New Composting Plants in Perungudi and Manali.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has announced plans to significantly expand its composting infrastructure as part of efforts to strengthen solid waste management and improve scientific processing of biodegradable waste across the city.

A major 1,000-tonne windrow composting facility will be developed on 20 acres of biomined land at the Perungudi dump yard under a public-private partnership model. The facility is expected to cater primarily to the southern parts of the city, where the volume of organic waste has been rising steadily.

In addition, GCC will set up two decentralised composting plants in Manali in north Chennai. Each plant will have a processing capacity of 50 tonnes per day, with the combined project cost estimated at ₹15 crore.

Officials said the new infrastructure will help reduce the burden on existing landfills by enabling scientific segregation and processing of wet waste at multiple locations.

A senior GCC official said the Perungudi facility will use the windrow composting method, where organic waste is arranged in long rows and decomposed under controlled aeration. “This will significantly reduce the amount of wet waste reaching landfills. The compost generated can be used for horticulture, landscaping and agricultural purposes, contributing to a circular waste management system,” the official said.

The Manali initiative is part of the corporation’s broader strategy to decentralise waste processing and reduce dependence on large landfill sites. Chennai currently generates over 6,000 tonnes of solid waste per day, a substantial portion of which is biodegradable.

Officials added that expanding local composting capacity will improve collection efficiency, reduce transportation costs and lower the city’s environmental footprint. The projects are also aimed at modernising waste management systems and improving resource recovery.

Environmental experts have welcomed the move, noting that decentralised composting is essential for rapidly growing cities. R. Sundararajan, an environmental expert, said large-scale composting facilities help divert organic waste from landfills, reduce methane emissions and extend the lifespan of dumping grounds.