Incineration Trial of Hazardous Waste from Union Carbide Bhopal Factory
The incineration of 10 tonnes of hazardous waste from the defunct Union Carbide Bhopal factory began at Re Sustainability’s facility in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh. This follows the directive of the Madhya Pradesh High Court to safely dispose of the waste.
Background and Legal Context
- A total of 337 metric tonnes of waste was moved from the Bhopal factory to Pithampur as per the High Court's order.
- Local protests delayed the incineration process.
- The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's decision, refusing to interfere or halt the trial process.
Incineration Process and Safety Measures
- The trial started on February 27, 2023, with a dry run of the incinerator to reach necessary temperatures of 850°C and 1150°C in its two chambers.
- Waste was prepared with lime to maintain calorific value during incineration, fed at a rate of 135 kg/hour.
- Emissions are monitored to ensure they remain within permissible limits, following the Hazardous Substances Management Rules.
- Senior officials from MPPCB and CPCB are supervising the process, adhering to a standard operating procedure.
Environmental and Local Impact
- Waste includes 162 MT of contaminated soil, 92 MT of naphthol and carbaryl, 54 MT of semi-processed pesticide waste, and 29 MT of reactor residue.
- Heavy police presence due to ongoing protests from locals concerned about safety and environmental impact.
Historical Context: The Bhopal Gas Tragedy
- The Bhopal Gas Tragedy on December 2-3, 1984, involved a leak of methyl isocyanate gas, resulting in over 5,479 deaths and thousands facing severe health issues.
- This disaster is marked as one of the deadliest industrial accidents in history.
Journalistic Coverage
- Nikhil Ghanekar, an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, is covering the environmental policy aspects of this event.
- Ghanekar has a 14-year career in journalism, focusing on environmental policies, wildlife conservation, and climate change.
