In developing countries where open dumping of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is a common practice which results in generation of greenhouse gases, biological treatment processes like anaerobic digestion of its biodegradable fractions are significantly lessening these emissions. In fact, anaerobic digestion generates biogas, a primary substitute for fossil fuels which greatly mitigates the global warming levels. Thanks to Mailhem (taken from Sanskrit words Mail-waste & Hem-gold) Ikos Environment, one of the well-established solid waste management companies in India that deploys a proprietary anaerobic digestion technology ‘Modified Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (MUASB)’ for all it’s biomethanation plants.

The firm also offers a gamut of tailor-made MSW treatment technologies like Mechanical Segregation, Composting, Biomethanation, Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) and Plastic to Fuel (P2F), Carcass Incineration, Scientific Landfill, Bioreactor Landfill and Capping of Existing Dumpsite with extensive technical know-how to integrate them accordingly. Installation base of more than 300 plants across the country, Mailhem executed a fleet of projects by deploying the aforementioned technologies for Nashik Municipal Corporation, Patna Green Energy Private Limited, Lodha Developers,

Kolhapur Green Energy Private Limited, Tata Motors, Wipro and other prestigious organizations.

Mailhem provides turnkey services right from consultation, design, construction, execution, installation, testing & commissioning till operation and maintenance of waste management projects on a long-term basis

“Besides delivering full service waste management (collection, transportation, processing and disposal of MSW) via Integrated Solid Waste Management, we ensure to cut down on waste disposal costs, comply with the Government rules & regulations, meet the client’s environmental obligations and enable saving of fossil fuels,” states Sameer Rege, CEO, Mailhem Ikos. Indeed, Mailhem provides turnkey services right from consultation, design, construction, execution, installation, testing & commissioning till operation and maintenance of waste management projects on a long-term basis to overcome any pain point of its clients. Moreover to eradicate the environmental issues, the firm engages in project designing & capital investment, setting up processing & disposal projects, introduction of technical innovation in recycling, long-term operation & maintenance agreement, sale & promotion of output products, creating awareness and regularizing waste pickers as a part of PPP model.

Leveraging Technology to Save Earth
To treat dripping wet biodegradable organic solid waste, Mailhem

deploys the aforementioned MUASB technology, Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) technology and a hybrid of both into its biomethanation plants besides executing the composting processes through windrow technique. Segregating the combustible matter from MSW, the firm extracts RDF which greatly replaces fossil fuels and also deploys the novel green technology of converting huge piles of plastic waste into fuel.

Mailhem uses scientific landfills for only inert disposal. The firm also has capabilities to construct bioreactor land fills for scientific treatment of mixed MSW which can reap great environmental benefits for small and mid-cities with tight budgets and low level of segregation. The existing dumpsites are capped to prevent the contaminated tracts making contact with cleaner surfaces. The firm also conducts systematic incineration for carcasses of livestock to prevent the transmission of diseases and protect air & water quality.

Big Break throughs
Founded in 1995 by retired Lt Col Suresh Rege (Executive Director & Recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award at World CSR Congress) to blend entrepreneurship and community service, Mailhem presently is spearheaded by Sameer who holds a profound two-decade experience in setting up waste management plants of varying sizes. Mailhem was conferred as ‘Garbage Guru’ title & award by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015. The firm also won QCI-D. L. Shah National Award on Economics of Quality for Environmental Sector for the case study ‘Nothing Should Go Waste’ in 2012. Thanks to its never ending spree of innovation, the company is presently growing at a CAGR of 35 percent YOY, and envisages to add recycling to its portfolio through its partnership with PAPREC.