Union Carbide Waste: Radioactive chemicals eliminated in 40 years, but Sevin, Naphthal still present

Madanmohan Malviya, Navdunia, Bhopal (Union Carbide Waste Disposal). The radioactive chemicals in the 337 tonnes of toxic waste sent from Union Carbide factory to Pithampur Ramki Company have self-destructed in 40 years, but chemicals like Sevin, Naphthal are still present.

In such a situation, it is necessary to burn the waste scientifically. On the basis of the report of earlier trial execution, the Supreme Court and the High Court have given orders for destruction by burning. Ramki is the only company in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh where the chemical and hazardous waste coming out of industrial units is disposed of daily. Is.

Union Carbide’s decision to burn garbage is right

In this, Yuka’s decision to burn garbage is right. Environmentalist Subhash C Pandey has made this claim while talking to Navdunia. He has been working in the field of environment for the last several years and has been declared the Best Environmentalist for 2011 by Aiser. He has also done research on water, soil, air etc.

Sevin and naphthal chemicals were not completely destroyed.

He said that the radioactive, radiation and more active chemical substances present in the 337 tonnes of toxic waste taken out from the Union Carbide factory were automatically destroyed by turning into vapour. Whereas chemicals like Sevin, Naphthal etc. which have never come in contact with sunlight and heat may have their potency reduced but are not completely destroyed.

Therefore, it is right to burn it scientifically in Ramki’s company. The incinerators installed in the company are of advanced type and have been installed to dispose of such waste. The burning of toxic waste here will be done as per the strict parameters of Hazardous Waste Management Rules 2016.

The company is burning hazardous waste from industrial units, which is even more dangerous than Union Carbide’s existing waste. In such a situation, there is no harm of any kind to the climate, underground water, rivers, reservoirs etc. of Pithampur, Indore, Dhar etc. areas due to disposal of waste in Ramki.

Most of the toxic waste was 165 tons of contaminated soil.

Of the 337 tonnes of toxic waste sent to Pithampur, the maximum includes 165 tonnes of contaminated soil. While 95 tonnes is Sevin Naphthal, methyl isocyanate gas was made from Sevin Naphthal. Apart from these, there is 29 tonnes of reactor waste and 56.4 tonnes of semi-processed pesticide.

Government’s claim regarding waste

Regarding toxic waste, the government claims that out of the total 347 tonnes of toxic waste, in 2014 the Supreme Court had directed to conduct a trial run of 10 tonnes of waste at Ramki’s plant in Pithampur. Trial run took place in 2015. The government claims that the trial run was successful and it did not cause any harm to the environment and groundwater.

After the successful trial run of 2015, it was decided that the waste would be burnt in Pithampur only. What are Hazardous Waste Management Rules 2016 are a set of rules related to the management of hazardous wastes in India.

The purpose of these rules is to prevent, recycle, and ensure safe disposal of hazardous wastes. In these rules, guidelines are given for the generation, processing, treatment, packaging, storage, transportation, collection, conversion, destruction, and disposal of hazardous wastes.

Smoke will come out after clearing through four layers

337 tonnes of waste from the Union Carbide factory has been sent to Ho Ramki Company. The chemical elements have been removed to a large extent but following the orders of the High Court, it will be burnt under the Hazardous Waste Management Rules 2016. The smoke from the incinerator installed in the company will be released into the environment only after it is cleaned and safe with four layers. – Swatantra Kumar Singh, Director, Gas Relief and Rehabilitation Department