The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) recently declared a major win for environmental health in Edayar’s industrial zone. According to their latest assessment, an impressive majority of the bone meal, chicken waste rendering, and rubber processing facilities – 18 out of 20, to be exact – have successfully implemented the necessary measures to curb unchecked atmospheric emissions. This positive development comes after a period of intense scrutiny and regulatory action.
Between April 2024 and January 2025, all 20 of these units received either formal closure orders or notices indicating potential closure due to severe breaches of environmental regulations. These stern warnings followed a crucial study conducted in September 2023 by the CSIR–National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) in Thiruvananthapuram. The study revealed critical flaws in the biofilter systems, which are essential for removing pollutants and unpleasant odors from the air in rubber, meat, and waste processing operations.
Currently, only two companies, Alliance Marine Products and Organo Fertilizers (both chicken waste rendering facilities), are still working towards full compliance. They have been granted an additional month to meet the stringent requirements. P.K. Baburajan, Chief Environmental Engineer for KSPCB in Ernakulam, confirmed that the other 18 units have already installed the mandated systems, including fully functional biofilters designed to effectively eliminate pollutants and odors from their industrial emissions.
As part of the stringent directives, all previously non-compliant units were specifically instructed to cease the release of noxious odors and volatile organic compounds during both raw material processing and daily plant operations. To achieve this, all vapor-emitting sources must now be meticulously channeled through dedicated ducts, pass through advanced condensers, and then undergo treatment in suitable scrubbing units before any discharge.
This announcement from the KSPCB is particularly timely, as it addresses ongoing criticisms from councillors in the Eloor municipality. These local representatives had voiced concerns about the board’s perceived inaction against facilities contributing to odor and air pollution, even alleging that their input was being overlooked during review meetings focused on the industrial area’s environmental challenges.