Survey to take stock of hazardous industrial waste

NT NETWORK

 

PANAJI

The Goa Waste Management Corporation has appointed an environmental consultancy firm – Paradigm Environmental Strategies Private Limited – for preparing an inventory of hazardous wastes generated by industrial units in the state.

A survey will soon begin involving engineers of the Goa State Pollution Control Board and experts in the field of waste management to ascertain the exact amount of hazardous waste generated in the state so as to facilitate in setting up a common hazardous waste treatment storage facility at the Pissurlem industrial estate.

Hazardous waste is defined in the rules as any waste which by reason of any of its physical, chemical, reactive, toxic, flammable, explosive or corrosive characteristics, causes danger or is likely to cause danger to health or environment, whether alone or when in contact with other wastes or substances.

The decision to conduct the survey was taken at a meeting held at GWMC on Wednesday.

The survey will involve the participation of the GSPCB, the Industrial Waste Management Association and a landfill operator.

According to the annual hazardous waste report prepared by the GSPCB for the year 2016-17, around

1409 industrial units generate a large number of hazardous waste which is incinerable.

These units manufacture and  deal with a variety of items like pesticides, fertilisers, tyres and tubes, iron-ore pellets, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, sugar, wheat products, steel rolling, fruit and fish canning, cashew nuts, brewery products etc.

The incinerable hazardous waste generation in the state accounts for 18684 metric tonne. While the land disposable hazardous waste generation in the state stands at 3512.6 MT, recyclable waste (used oil) accounts for 912.57 MT with 35065 discarded containers and filters.

The state has received environmental clearance to setting up the hazardous waste treatment storage facility, which will focus on secured landfill and incineration of hazardous waste.

Presently, very few industrial units have effluent treatment plants to treat waste water, while the other units send their hazardous waste to the Mumbai Waste Management Ltd at Taloja for incineration.

The practices for onsite storage also found varying with some units having proper facilities including for segregation, whereas some other units were not following proper segregation of wastes onsite.

The GSPCB inspected the industrial units to apprise itself of the practices adopted for hazardous waste treatment and disposal.  Eleven industrial units were found not having any ETPs and seven plants were poorly maintained thereby polluting the water bodies by directly discharging waste water into drain.