Jammu & Kashmir calls on Tesla’s BlackHOLE tech to solve its trash problems

• Tesla Energy, based in Bangalore, has been asked to implement the BlackHOLE in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir.
• BlackHOLE technology takes trash and turns it into ceramic ash that can be used for construction purposes.
  
• Amid the burst of tourists of late, Ladakh has been struggling with the disposal of solid waste.

An arm of the US-based Tesla Green, Tesla Energy has been asked to implement ‘BlackHOLE’ technology to serve as a solution to Ladakh’s trash problems. Located in Jammu and Kashmir, the region is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India, especially of late.

While that may be great in terms of economic growth by way of revenue and employment, the region has been deteriorating due to the heaps of trash left behind by visiting tourists.

BlackHOLE, with its low maintenance costs and simplistic process, can be a sustainable solution to the problem and the company claims that even a layman can operate it. That being said, it should be kept in mind that the only thing that the BlackHOLE can’t recycle is glass.

So how does it work?

First, the trash is collected and put into a chamber. Air is then blown into the chamber and using plasma heat decomposition technology, that needs no fuel or power to run, the waste is turned into ash.

This ‘ceramic ash’ can then be used a raw material for construction, like the building of roads and houses. And, apparently the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has already agreed to buy the ash for building roads on the mountainside.


Mountains of trash on the world’s roof

Endearingly called the ‘roof of the world’, Ladakh's high altitude and windswept plateaus aren’t under the siege of trash due to the local inhabitants. During the peak seasons of June-August, around 15-16 tonnes of trash get generated on a daily basis by tourists who are just ‘visiting’ the region.

Currently, it’s only the trash from the town of Leh that is deposited in Bomb Garh, while everywhere else, the trash is left on the mountainside. And, the trash left out in the open spreads through the valley whenever the wind blows, which is fairly often, having devastating effects on the area’s fragile ecosystem.

Sending the trash down to the plains might be one solution, but it’s expensive and geographically unviable because the roads are open for short amounts of time. Which is why, BlackHOLE can serve as solution to bridge that gap.

That being said, the crux of the problem is still not being addressed. While recycling and upcycling do breathe second life into non-renewable resources, the increasing waste generation is still a cause for worry. Rather than just deal with problem, it’s also important for the region to implement measures to reduce solid waste to begin with.