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Solid Waste Management

Safe disposal of plastic waste still a challenge city pulse

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Source: The Hindu Date : 06.07.2009

Safe disposal of plastic waste still a challenge city pulse

City Bureau

Can the proposed ban on plastics on the Marina by Chennai Corporation be extended across the city?

— Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

Major issue: In the absence of proper disposal, plastics end up chocking waterways.

CHENNAI: Plastic is perhaps the most widely used material. Though it amounts to only 3.7 per cent of the total 3,700 tonnes of solid waste generated in the city, safe disposal of plastic waste remains a challenge to civic bodies in and around Chennai.

It is against this backdrop that the Chennai Corporation has decided to prohibit the use of plastic carry bags, disposable cups, plates and spoons on the Marina beach from August 15. However, whether such a ban can be replicated across the city remains a moot point. Environmental activists are concerned about the consequences of plastic waste leaching into the soil, affecting fertility and release of dioxins into the atmosphere when such waste is burnt.

Plastic waste dumped into the sewerage network clogs drains. Chennai Metrowater officials said disposable plastic articles contributed to nearly 30 per cent of the solid waste that blocked drains. Such blocks led to an overflow of sewage, mostly in shopping areas.

A. Narayanan, convenor of People against Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Merchandise, who filed a public interest litigation in the Madras High Court for a ban on manufacture and use of polythene carry bags and disposable plastic items, said: “Carry bags with leftover food dumped in the bins attract stray cattle that could swallow the bags. Plastic items littered near water-bodies affect marine life.”

Paediatricians caution parents about buying cheap plastic toys as children have the habit of putting toy parts in their mouth. Two types of chemicals — Bisphenol A (BPA) and Phthalate — are commonly added to make plastic flexible. Studies had shown that BPA affected hormone secretion and could cause cancer, said paediatrician V. Poovazhagi.

Emphasising the need for creating awareness about safe products, she said: “Consumers must look for the number imprinted under the product, which rate its safety in terms of toxicity. Items marked ‘7’ must be avoided. They must ask for non-PVC plastics, which use agents to prevent release of toxins.”

While some municipalities, such as Alandur and Pammal, have already taken steps to make their area plastic-free, Chennai Corporation’s initiative of banning plastic on the Marina could well be the first step towards a total ban in the city.

A senior Corporation official said: “We need a mechanism to separate plastic from waste and recycle it. We are awaiting clearance from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to segregate plastics at Perungudi and Kodungaiyur garbage dumping yards and send it to recycling units.”

One such unit which was set up six months ago at Madhuranthakam purchases plastic waste from Pammal area at Rs.3 a kg. S. Sampath, proprietor of Samki Teck Resources, said the unit extracted fuel through a proven Pyrolysis technology. “We get carbon black and combustible gas as by-products, which are also used,” he said. The TNPCB has granted clearance to another company to set up a similar facility.

Plastic manufacturers say that of the two lakh tonnes of plastic materials put to various uses in automobile and packaging industries and by domestic consumers, only those made of thermostat plastics are non-recyclable.

G. Sankaran, president of Tamil Nadu Pondy Plastics Manufacturers and Merchants Association, said the Recycled Plastics Manufacture and Usage (Amendment) Rules, 2003 had prohibited the manufacture of carry bags of less than 20 micron thickness. Waste product dealers and hawkers do not bring such plastics for recycling as there is not much by way of returns to them, resulting in problems with regard to management of plastic waste.

The practice of recycling plastics that have a value as a waste, however, has been a part of domestic chores in many households. This includes collection and disposing empty milk pouches and plastic bottles.

Eco-conscious households are pitching in by reducing the use of plastics. Chandra Mohanasundaram, a resident of Vadapalani, said her children carried stainless steel lunch boxes. “I plan to substitute PET water bottles with stainless steel ones as I am wary of filling hot water in plastic bottles.” Software professional Aparna Priya said she carried a cloth bag for shopping and used newspapers for packing.

The only solution is to create awareness about recycling and reduction in use. A. Mohammed Iqbal Sharief, who runs a plastic reprocessing unit, said nearly 80 per cent of used plastic was being recycled. However, continuous recycling would lead to manufacture of low-quality products, he cautioned.

The Chennai Corporation plans to encourage textile shops and retail chains to use cloth carry bags. It is also planning to create awareness among grocery, vegetable, flower vendors to use plastic minimally. This will improve awareness among users also.

(With inputs from K. Lakshmi, S. Aishwarya, R. Sujatha and Deepa H. Ramakrishnan)

Last Updated on Monday, 06 July 2009 07:39
 

No garbage dumping on grazing land will be permitted until further orders: court

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Source : The Hindu Date : 28.06.2009

No garbage dumping on grazing land will be permitted until further orders: court

Special Correspondent

Interim orders on PIL challenging government decision to set up ISWMF

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has said that no dumping of garbage on a 67-acre grazing land at Kuthambakkam in Tiruvallur district, about 40 km from here, will be permitted, until further orders.

Passing interim orders on public interest litigation petitions challenging the government’s decision to set up an Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility (ISWMF) in the village, the First Bench comprising the Chief Justice H.L.Gokhale and Justice D.Murugesan, said the Secretary, State Department of Environment and Forest, Tiruvallur District Collector and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) would file their respective affidavits before the next hearing on July 8.

In his petitions, S.Nandakumar of Kuthambakkam South, Poonamallee block, said that Kuthambakkam village with a population of more than 5,300 people consisted of seven hamlets and agriculture was the main source of livelihood for the villages. For several families, the cattle they possessed, was their only source of livelihood. The cattle were dependant on 100 acres of grazing land in the village. If these grazing lands were destroyed, the families would be forced to sell their cattle and would be left with no economic sustenance. Out of 100 acres, about 67 acres were now sought to be converted into a site for ISWMF. Mr.Nandakumar said the village was less than 500 metres from the Chembarambakkam fresh water lake, which was a main source of drinking water supply to Chennai. The entire village and neighbouring area was the main catchment area for the water body. The land identified for proposed solid waste management facility was part of the catchment area. Locating a garbage dump or the facility in a catchment area of a major fresh water source reflected complete non-application of mind by the authorities.

The petitioner said the authorities had not obtained the mandatory consent and approvals for setting up the facility. Further, the divesting of grazing land vested with the panchayat violated the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act.

The petitions challenged a G.O. of February 2009 granting permission to the Ambattur and Thiruverkadu Municipalities to set up the facility on the disputed land, an order of the Tiruvallur Collector rejecting the panchayat’s representation opposing the conversion of the land and the no objection certificate issued by the TNPCB.

The Government Pleader and TNPCB counsel took notice. The court ordered notice to the Union Environment Secretary returnable by the next hearing date. The Bench said in the meanwhile and until further orders, no dumping of any garbage in the disputed land would be permitted.

Last Updated on Sunday, 28 June 2009 11:43
 

Solid waste management clusters on the anvil: Stalin

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Source : The Hindu Date : 27.06.2009

Solid waste management clusters on the anvil: Stalin

Special Correspondent

Facility on the lines of the Venkatamangalam model

 


Agreements concluded for leasing out land to implement scheme

Tenders received for appointment of consultant to develop infrastructure in 12 urban local bodies


CHENNAI: The possibility of setting up solid waste management clusters for efficient management on the lines of the Venkatamangalam model is being explored, according to Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

[Under the Venkatamangalam model, a common compost plant and sanitary landfill facility has been established for the three municipalities of Alandur, Pallavapuram and Tambaram. Early this month, the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department issued an order, according permission to lease out 2,99,477 square metres of land in Venkatamangalam village in Kancheepuram district on an annual rent of Re.1 per sq metre for 20 years to the concessionaire.]

Initiating a debate on the demands for grants to Municipal Administration, Water Supply, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Departments, Mr. Stalin said agreements had been concluded with different private agencies for leasing out land to implement the solid waste management scheme on the basis of build, operate and transfer in Coimbatore and Madurai municipal corporations and Namakkal municipality.

As for the Urban Road Infrastructure Project, tenders were received on May 15 for the appointment of a consultant for design, supervision and management for developing the urban infrastructure in 12 urban local bodies.

Nagercoil, Pollachi, Sattur, Ariyalur and Mannargudi were among the urban local bodies where it was proposed to take up works on underground sewerage systems (UGSS) under the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns this year. The total cost would come to Rs.503.94 crore. On the implementation of geographical information system in Coimbatore, Madurai and Tiruchi corporations and Rajapalayam and Gobichettipalayam municipalities, the Minister informed the House that the consultant had prepared the base map for Coimbatore.

Imageries for four other local bodies were awaited from the National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad. Data collection in the four urban local bodies (ULBs) was in progress. The consultant had also started preparing web-based GIS application for all the five ULBs.

The Centre had approved works of the UGSS in nine town panchayats, including Porur, Sembakkam and Chittlapakkam, at an estimated cost of about Rs.349 crore. Chennai Metrowater would implement the works this year.

Last Updated on Saturday, 27 June 2009 05:31
 


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