IIT Madras researchers develop a method to dispose toxic pharmaceutical waste

Co-composting is the controlled aerobic degradation of organics, that uses more than one feedstock like fecal sludge and organic solid waste.

A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and Germany has come up with a new method that can be used to safely dispose of the toxic pharmaceutical wastage sludge. The IIT Madras in a statement said that they have already established 'co-composting' facilities in various villages across India and the research team is in discussion with the government of India to set up more such facilities across the country. Co-composting is the controlled aerobic degradation of organics, that uses more than one feedstock like fecal sludge and organic solid waste.

The research team was led by Prof. Ligy Philip, Department of Civil Engineering, and included Anu Rachel Thomas from IIT-M and Prof. Martin Kranert from Stuttgart University. The results of this study have been published recently in the peer-reviewed journal Waste Management.

Philip said, "Even though pharmaceuticals and personal care products are less susceptible to biodegradation, the addition of mixed organic waste and coir pith during septage composting provided an appropriate conducive environment for significant carbamazepine removal. Therefore, in-vessel 'co-composting' of septage can be considered as a resource recovery option for septage treatment."