The Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA), a research and advocacy organisation working on public finance, accountability and policy issues, has raised concerns, in a report, over the pollution potential of Waste-to-Energy (WTE) incineration plants.The report assumes significance for Coimbatore, where a 1,200-tonne-per-day (TPD) WTE plant has been proposed as part of the city’s waste management plans.According to the report, WTE incinerators recorded a Pollution Index (PI) score of 100 out of 100 when assessed using the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) methodology. The assessment considered pollution from air emissions, water contamination and hazardous waste.The report flagged pollutants including dioxins, furans, heavy metals, acid gases and particulate matter, besides the generation of hazardous fly ash and bottom ash.It also questioned the CPCB’s 2025 decision to move WTE plants from the ‘Red’ category to the ‘Blue’ category. The CFA said the reclassification could reduce regulatory oversight despite the generation of hazardous waste.The organisation has called for WTE plants to be restored to the ‘Red’ category, mandatory independent emissions monitoring and stricter enforcement of pollution-control norms. It has also recommended greater focus on source segregation, decentralised composting and biomethanation. Published - September 05, 2026 05:47 pm IST