Lok Sabha Question No. 4076 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-04
Subject: Disposal of Toxic Waste
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4076

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.01.2019

## Disposal of Toxic Waste

## 4076. SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) Whether all toxic waste has not been disposed off from the site of Bhopal Gas leak yet and if so, the details of toxic waste yet to be disposed;
- (b) Whether toxic waste at the site is leading to contamination of soil and groundwater in the vicinity and if so, the steps taken by the Government to ensure that toxic waste is disposed off at the earliest;
- (c) Whether trial incineration of 10MT had taken place in 2015;
- (d) If  so,  whether  the  exercise  could  be  successfully  carried  out  and  if  so,  the  details thereof along with the time taken to dispose off 10MT safely in 2015;
- (e) The time by which the rest of the toxic waste is likely to be disposed off; and
- (f) Whether any action has been taken against authorities responsible for disposing off the waste for the delay caused and the adverse effect it has had on the health of people and if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) & (b ) Approximately 347 tonne of hazardous waste was stored in the premises of the erstwhile Union Carbide India Ltd. (UCIL), Bhopal. Out of which, 10 tonne waste has been incinerated in trial run. Remaining 337 tonne waste was collected and stored under secured  shed  within  the  premises  of  the  erstwhile  Union  Carbide  India  Ltd  (UCIL), Bhopal.The Government has decided to undertake remedial measures including the safe disposal of identified waste of the erstwhile Union Carbide India Ltd. (UCIL), Bhopal. As decided by the Union Cabinet on 24.06.2010, disposal of the remaining 337 tonne waste and  remediation  of  the  site  will  be  undertaken  by  the  Government  of  Madhya  Pradesh (MP). Further, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has assisted the Government of Madhya Pradesh in the preparation of Request for Proposal (RFP) documents for inviting competitive bids for disposal of the remaining waste from hazardous waste operators.

(c) to  (f) Trial  incineration  of  10  tonne  of  UCIL  waste  was  carried  out  at  common  hazardous waste  treatment,  storage  and  disposal  facility  (TSDF),  Pithampur  (Indore)  from  13.08.2015  to 18.08.2015 under the supervision of the Government of Madhya Pradesh, State Pollution Control Board, Central Pollution Control Board, and the Ministry. During the trial run it was reported that all  monitored  parameters  of  the  incinerated  waste  complied  with  the  prescribed  parameters  of common  hazardous  waste  incinerator  as  prescribed  vide  notification  no  GSR  481  (E),  dated 26.06.2008  under  schedule  -I  of  the  Environment  (Protection)  Rules,  1986  notified  under  the Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986.  Besides,  the  ambient  air  quality  around  incinerator  was found to be within the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for monitored parameters namely, PM10, SOx, NOx, arsenic, lead and benzene.

Further, The Ministry has also issued directions to the Government of Madhya Pradesh  for  finalisation  of  facility  operator  for  expeditious  disposal  of  the  remaining waste. The Government of Madhya Pradesh has also been assisted in technical matters by Central  Pollution  Control  Board  and  in  the  preparation  of  Request  for  Proposal  (RFP) documents for inviting competitive bids from facilityoperators so that the waste can be disposed of in an environmentally sound manner.

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