Brief Note on Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF)
Currently, out of total waste disposed in Landfillsl Dumpsites, 17-20% is non-recyclable
combustible fraction of waste which can be used as a substitute of coal in various
industries and particularly in cement industry. lndia has 238 Cement plants with cement
production capacity of 501 million tonnes and can safely substitute 15o/o of its coali
petcoke requirements by combustible poftion of waste i.e. RDF. lndia generates 62
million tonnes of MSW annually, which is expected to increase to 165 million tonnes by
2431.
lndia has to go a long way in promoting Thermal substitution of fossil fuel by Alternative
Fuel & Raw Material (AFR) such as RDF and Bio-mass etc. Against the global average
of 19o/o of replacement by AFR, the European Union have achieved Thermal
Substitution rate at about 40o/o (26% from wasts + 14 % by Bio-mass)" Countries like
Netherlands, Austria and Germany are co-processing RDF in cement plants in the
range of 60-70% total coal consumption. However, in lndia, the average TSR in cement
industry is estimated at Ao/oout of which the share of RDF is less than 1%.
Recently, on World Environment Day on Sth June zArc, cement industry has committed
to achieve 25% TSR by 2025, in the presence of Hon'ble Prime Minister, raising
confidence for its substantial use in immediate future.
It is found that sound policy framework exists for RDF in form of SWM Rules 2016
exists to utilise 5% RDF available within 100 km of Cement plant, however, this could
not effectively take off due to lack of RDF Standards and other mechanism for its rollout.
Accordingly, Ministry has come out with guidelines on Usage of RDF in Various
lndustries. The salient feature of guidelines are as under:
Salient Feature of the Guidelines
(i) Standards for RDF in 3 grades having calorific value varying from 3000-
4500 kcal/kg i.e equivalent to coal.
(ii) lndicative maximum and minimum rates for sale of RDF by ULBs have
also been worked out for guidance as below:
RDF RDF RDF
lnouslnal
Petcoke
Unit SCF Grade Grade Grade
uoal
lll ll I
3000- 2900 - 830(
(cal/Kg 1 500 3000 3750 4500
4200
linimum Rs./Tonne (assumed @ Rs.
600 1200 1 500 1 800
.4 per 1000 Kcalikg)
4500 I 9000
Mlaximum Rs./Tonne (assumed @
1200 2400 3000 3600
Rs. 0.8 per 1000 Kcal/kg)
( iii) The guidelines suggest modification in Clause 18 of SWM Rules 2016, as
reproduced below:
Existing Clause
Clause 18: Duties of the industrial units located within one hundred km from the
RDF and Waste to Energy plants based on solid waste
"All industrial units using fuel and located within 100 km from a solid waste-based
RDF ptant shall make arrangements within six months from the date of notification of
fhese rules to replace at least 5 % of their fuel requirement by RDF so produced."
Modified Clause for incorporation in SWM Rules, 2016
Clause 18: Duties of the industrial units especially Cement Plants and Waste
to Energy Plants for usage of Segregated Gombustible Fractions (SCF) and/or
RDF as below:
"The cement plants located within 400 km from a solid waste-based RDF plant shall
make necessary arrangements to utilise RDF in the following phase wise manner at
price fixed by State Government: -
a) Replace at least 6% of fuel intake, within one year from the date of
amendment of fhese rules (equivalent calorific value/Thermal Substitution
Rate) by Municipal Solid Waste based SCF and/or RDF, subiect to the
availability of RDF.
b) Replace at least 10% of fuel intake within two years from the date of
amendment of these rules (equivalent calorific value/Thermal Substitution
Rate) by Municipal Solid Waste based SCF and/or RDF, subiect to the
availability of RDF.
c) Replace at least 15% of its fuel intake within three years from the date of
amendment of these rules (equivalent calorific value/Thermal Substitution
Rate) by Municipal Solid Waste based SCF and/or RDF, subiect to the
availability of RDF."
The transpoi cost for SCF/RDF up to 100 km from the cement plant shall be
borne by cement plant, however, beyond 100 km cement plant can transpoft at
its own cost or by ULB9 as mutually agreed upon by the pafties."
(iv) Financial lmpact
The guidelines also provide insights on calculation to use RDF as fuel in
Cement clinkers, within a pay-back period of 4 years.
The additional revenue requirement can be met by increasing per bag cost of
Rs. 0.41 for a conventional mechanized hopper system for low RDF inputs
(Rs. 550 lacs) and
Rs. 1.85 per bag for advanced automated feeder systems with capital cost of
Rs. 2000 Lacs for utilizing higher quantities of RDF.
(v) Rollout Models of Use of RDF
To expeditiously achieve the objectives of Swachh Bharat Mission, the RDF
standards need to be supported with operational and financial models.
Accordingly, in the report, three implementation models along with model
tender document and model agreement between ULB, Cement plant & RDF
plant operator have been incorporated: