Vedanta Aluminium targets 100% utilisation of fly ash through ‘Waste to Wealth’ Programme; helping MSMEs to make fly ash bricks

Vedanta Aluminium & Power Business, India’s largest producer of aluminium and value-added products, is facilitating hundreds of MSMEs in remote rural areas with its innovative ‘Waste to Wealth’ programme. This programme is part of Vedanta’s sustainability goals and commitments toward socio-economic development in some of the country’s aspirational districts.

Vedanta’s Waste to Wealth programme is focused on ‘Zero Harm, Zero Waste and Zero Discharge’. As part of the initiative, the company is assisting local micro-enterprises in making nearly 5 lakh tonnes per annum of fly-ash brick. Vedanta is also providing know-how and training on manufacturing these bricks in partnership with technical institutes, which is creating employment avenues and promoting a circular economy.

The beneficiaries of this project are underprivileged villagers who would otherwise depend on cattle rearing, subsistence agriculture or would migrate to other states to work as construction labourers for their livelihood.

Vedanta’s Lanjigarh alumina refinery produces more than 90 per cent of the total fly ash produced in the district. It is used by local entrepreneurs in their brick manufacturing units.

All units of Vedanta’s aluminium business have already outlined plans for 100 per cent utilisation of fly ash generated at their respective plants, by supplying to brick and cement manufacturers, as well as for highway and green roads construction.

Rahul Sharma, Dy CEO at Aluminium Business of Vedanta Ltd, said: “At Vedanta, we integrate smart innovation, best-in-class technologies and global best practices to create value for the nation. A strong sustainable development agenda guides all our actions and business decisions, and we are committed to nurturing MSMEs in all our areas of operations. We understand that this responsibility becomes even more pertinent now that a lot of migrant labourers have receded back to their villages in the wake of the pandemic and need sustainable livelihoods in these remote areas. All of our business units have robust waste management systems in place and scientifically manage the ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ trifecta of value-creation by working with local entrepreneurs and community members.”

Kirti Chanda Bihidar, a resident of Kolabira village, who runs his own fly ash brick making unit at Jharsuguda, said: “I am thankful for Vedanta’s presence at Jharsuguda, as it has opened up immense opportunities for small entrepreneurs like us to run successful businesses. Today, I get my raw material free of cost delivered to my shop by Vedanta. On an annual basis, I make about 50 lakh bricks which are mostly used for construction purposes. This business is giving me a very healthy turnover, which is growing rapidly, and I feel proud to be able to provide employment opportunities to others. I hope more people make use of the avenues provided by Vedanta to set up their own businesses.”