The dumping started on the 30th of June with 25 lorries carrying municipal waste rolled into Brahmapuram with police protection.  53 families that make up the Chellipadam village initially took refuge at a school nearby. Some were admitted to the hospital citing headaches, nausea, and dizziness [4] [5]. They subsequently abandoned their homes due to the stench and health concerns that the site posed. Since then the people of neighboring villages have protested against the indiscriminate and unscientific handling and dumping of waste in the area. However, in 2007, the panchayat decided not to renew the NOC. 

In the wake of continued protests, in 2008, the government acquired additional land from the residents in Chellipadam. This expanded the site area to 110 acres. A solid waste management (SWM) facility was commissioned in 2008 with a capacity to handle 200 tonnes of waste per day at Brahmapuram [6]. From the various waste management projects that have been proposed on this site has been riddled with issues and has posed various hazards to the people in the neighboring villages.

In 2011, the plant was found to be defunct. There was subsequently a proposal to create a plant with a capacity to process 500 tonnes of waste per day, while repair and maintenance were carried out in the old plant. This new proposal was firmly opposed by the people of the Vadavucode-Puthenkurish and Kunnathunad Panchayats, who refused to grant the required license [7]. 

Since 2012, municipal solid waste of 5 municipalities (Aluva, Angamaly, Kalamassery, Thrikkakara, and Tripunithura) and 2 panchayats (Cheranalloor and Vadavucode-Puthencruz) and the solid waste of Kochi corporation are handled by the Kochi Corporation and taken to Brahmapuram plant.  The plant now receives 383 tonnes of waste every day.  In 2016, the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Southern Zone pointed out that the dumping of the waste at Brahmapuram has been illegal since its authorization had expired 5 years ago[8]. It also pointed out the violation of the erstwhile Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2000 and suggested that remedial measures be taken to restore the facility. In 2018 the NGT slapped a 1 crore rupee fine on the corporation for the non-compliance to its 2016 order [9]. The Kerala Pollution Control Board has initiated action against the Kochi Corporation for the unscientific handling of waste at Brahmapuram citing the violation of SWM Rules, 2016, and Section 24 of the Water (Prevention and Control of) Pollution Act, 1974 [10]. 

High-level committee reports have consistently proven that the plant is in a dilapidated condition, many facilities including the refuse-derived fuel facility, plastic shredding, and bailing units are not working, and that there is an accumulation of leachate at various points [6]. There is also non-biodegradable legacy waste spread over an area of 16 acres which remains to be remediated. 

The Chitrapuzha and Kadambrayar rivers around the site are the source of drinking water to 6 panchayats. The Central Pollution Control Board in its 2018 report on the rivers in India that do not meet water quality criterion mentions the particular stretch of Kadambrayar between Manckakadavu and Brahmapuram [11]. There have also been repeated allegations of the ill-maintained infrastructure- cracks on beams, sinking floor - posing a hazard to the workers in the facility. Collapsing river walls have also increased pollution in the Kadambrayar river [12]. Multiple fires have broken out in the plant across the years in 2013, 2019, and 2020 [13] [14]. 

In 2013, based on the recommendations of the R V G Menon Committee tasked with studying the advanced waste management technologies in the country, the Kerala government decided to pursue waste to energy technology at Brahmapuram [15]. Despite the opposition, the government awarded the contract to implement a 295 crore rupee project G J Eco Power Private Limited [16]. This approval has been canceled by the government in 2020 citing the inability of the company to achieve financial closure. A subsequent request for proposal has been floated to select a Concessionaire to set up the plant.

According to the local self-government appointed fact-finding mission in 2019,

The current solid waste management facility comprises of:

"1. Windrow Composting Facility to process 250 TPD of Municipal Solid Waste

2. A non-functional Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) facility to convert waste into usable fuel for combustion,100 TPD

c. A non-functional vermicomposting plan, 50 TPD

d. Plastic Shredding and Baling unit, 1 TPD"

Source: http://lsgkerala.gov.in/system/files/2019-02/brahmapuram-SWM-Reports.pdf