Managing Hazardous Waste | 06 Jan 2025

Source: DTE 

Why in News? 

Four decades after the Bhopal gas tragedy (1984), hazardous waste (toxic waste) from the abandoned Union Carbide India Ltd (UCIL) factory in Madhya Pradesh was finally removed for incineration. 

What was the Bhopal Gas Tragedy? 

• About: On the night of 2^nd December 1984, a catastrophic chemical leak occurred at the UCIL pesticide plant in Bhopal. 
  • The leak involved methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas that killed over 5000 people and poisoned more than half a million others in the city of Bhopal, making it the world's worst industrial disaster. 
  • Reports of chemical leaks, including phosgene and methyl isocyanate, were documented in the years prior to 1984. 
• Cause of the Leak: A failed maintenance attempt on 1^st December 1984, coupled with malfunctioning safety systems, triggered a chemical reaction in a MIC filled tank leading to release of at least 30 tonnes of MIC gas into the atmosphere by midnight on 2^nd December 1984. 
• Health Effects: 
  • Immediate: Respiratory problems, abdominal pain, eye issues, and neurological impairments were common among the exposed individuals. 
  • Long-Term: Chronic health issues such as decreased lung function, genetic abnormalities, pregnancy loss, and infant mortality rates increased dramatically in affected populations. 
• Government and Legal Response: The Indian government passed the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster. (Processing of Claims) Act, 1985 to act as the legal representative for the victims. 
  • UCIL initially offered USD 5 million in relief, but the Indian government demanded USD 3.3 billion. The case was eventually settled out of court in 1989 for USD 470 million. 
  • In 2010, seven Indian nationals employed by UCIL were convicted for causing death by negligence but were released on bail. 
• Aftermath and Legacy: Despite the passage of time, survivors still lack health care and face lingering toxic materials at the factory site. 
  • Welfare organizations demand the removal of hazardous waste from the closed factory site. 

What is Hazardous Waste? 

• About: Hazardous waste refers to waste that poses a danger to health or the environment due to characteristics like toxicity, flammability, reactivity, or corrosiveness, either alone or when combined with other substances. 
• Sources:  
  • Use of Hazardous Substances: Most hazardous waste is produced during chemical production and consumption, increasing with rising demand for consumer goods.  
  • Inappropriate Technologies: Outdated technologies used by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) result in inefficient resource conversion, leading to higher and more toxic hazardous waste. 
  • Post-Treatment: Wastewater treatment and gaseous emissions result in residues containing hazardous substances. 
• Hazardous Waste Regulations:  
  • Environment Protection Act, 1986: The Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989 were introduced under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. 
    • These rules were amended in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2016 to include other waste types (e.g., used electronics, paper waste, metal scrap, and waste tires). 
  • Basel Convention, 1992: India is a signatory to the Basel Convention, 1992, which aims to reduce the movement of hazardous waste across countries. 
• Waste Generation: India generates about 7.66 million tonnes per year of hazardous waste from industries. 
  • The breakdown of hazardous waste shows that 44.3% is landfillable, 47.2% is recyclable, and 8.5% is incinerable. 
  • 83% of hazardous waste is generated in seven states i.e., Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh. 

• Hazardous Waste Production: As per the Compendium of Environmental Statistics India, 2016, most of the hazardous waste is being generated from chemical production & metal processing industries apart from the treatment of wastewater and flue gases. 

How Hazardous Waste is Disposed?  

• Co-processing: It involves using waste materials, like industrial by-products or hazardous waste, as alternative raw materials or fuels in industries, especially cement manufacturing or other high-temperature industries.   
  • About 25 cement plants have started co-processing in India. 
• Material and Energy Recovery: Material recovery makes use of the material value embedded in the waste whereas energy recovery utilizes its calorific value. 
  • E.g., recovering copper from cable residues and re-melting of the copper or recovery of lead from used batteries. 
  • Spent lube oil, solvents, solid and semi-solid grease, and wax can be used as an alternative fuel for industrial processes that require thermal energy input. 
• Incineration: Incineration is the process of burning waste in big furnaces at high temperatures. It converts waste materials into bottom ash, flue gasses, particles, and heat that can be utilized to produce electricity. 
• Pyrolysis: Pyrolysis involves the thermal decomposition of waste materials in the absence of oxygen or with limited oxygen usually at temperatures ranging from 300°C to 900°C. 
  • It converts waste materials into useful products such as bio-oil, synthesis gas (syngas) and char. 

Conclusion 

• The Bhopal Gas Tragedy highlights the catastrophic consequences of industrial safety negligence. Despite regulatory advancements like the Hazardous Waste Management Rules, 2016 and Basel Convention, challenges persist in safe waste disposal, emphasizing the urgent need for stricter compliance, technological upgrades, and effective remediation of hazardous waste in India.