Toxic Waste from Chemical Factories

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO: 315
ANSWERED ON: 10.08.2021
Toxic Waste from Chemical Factories
Anumula Revanth Reddy

(a) the details of regular and toxic waste generated by the factories in the chemical and industrial areas of Telangana annually;

(b) whether any protocol has been set up by the Government to regularly check

compliance with the prescribed disposal system of toxic waste by these companies;

(c) if so, the details thereof;

(d) if not, the reasons therefor;

(e) whether any action has been taken against the companies which are not complying

with the prescribed disposal method of toxic waste; and

(f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER

MINISTER FOR CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SHRI MANSUKH MANDAVIYA)

(a) to (f): A statement is laid on the table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (f) OF LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO. 315 DUE FOR ANSWER ON AUGUST 10, 2021

REGARDING “TOXIC WASTE FROM CHEMICAL FACTORIES”:

(a) As per information provided by Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB)

about 3,17,091 Tonnes of hazardous waste has been generated against the

authorized capacity of 8,21,229 Tonnes during 2019-20. There are 651 Chemical

and Pharma industries located in the State of Telangana. They are mainly

established in and around cities i.e., Rangareddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri,

Sangareddy, Medak and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri Districts namely at Jeedimetla,

Kukatpally, Balanagar, Sanathnagar, Nacharam, Cherlapally, Moulali, Uppal, IDA

Bollaram, Bachupally, Khazipally, Gaddapotharam, Bonthapally, Pashamailaram,

Patancheru, Choutuppal, Pochampally, Dothigudem etc. These Chemical,

Research & Development and Pharmaceutical industries generate hazardous

waste such as Process sludge, process in-organic salts, process organic residue,

Effluent Treatment Plant sludge and salts generated from the treatment systems

like zero liquid discharge (ZLD) & Agitated Thin Film Dryer (ATFD). The quantity

of hazardous waste generated and disposed from the industries in above areas

are as follows:

(b) to (d) Government of India has notified the Hazardous and Other Wastes

(Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 (hereinafter referred

as HOWM Rules, 2016), under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to ensure

safe storage, treatment and disposal of hazardous wastes in an environmentally

sound manner without causing adverse effect to environment and human health.

Waste from chemical manufacturing industry like Pesticide, Pharmaceutical,

Petrochemical, Dye & Dye intermediate, Fertilizer, Refinery, Organic chemical,

Paint, etc. is classified as hazardous waste based on the toxic characteristics.

Such waste is listed in Schedule –I of HOWM Rules, 2016.

The companies which are involved in handling, generation, collection, storage,

packaging, transportation, use, treatment, processing, recycling, recovery, preprocessing,

co-processing, utilisation, offering for sale, transfer or disposal of the

Recyclable Waste (tons per Annum) 77057.16

Incinerable Waste (tons per Annum) 92578.23

Landfilable Waste (tons per Annum) 105412.5

Total: 275047.9

hazardous waste are required to be carried out only after obtaining an

authorization from the concerned State Pollution Control Board (SPCB)/ Pollution

Control Committee (PCC) and in accordance with the procedures laid down under

the Rule 6 of the said Rules. For management of hazardous wastes, the hierarchy

steps shall be followed mainly 1. prevention; 2. minimization; 3. reuse, 4. recycling;

  1. recovery, 6. utilization including co-processing and 7. safe disposal through

incineration or secured landfilling.

Further, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has published various guidelines

for effective management of hazardous waste. CPCB has also prepared 68

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for utilization of various categories of

hazardous waste and circulated to all SPCB/PCC. All guidelines and SOPs are

available at CPCB website https://cpcb.nic.in/technical-guidelines/ and

https://cpcb.nic.in/sop-for-hw-specific/ respectively.

As per information received from Telangana SPCB, the TSPCB is regulating the

generation of hazardous waste from industries and stipulating the conditions for

scientific disposal of the same. The TSPCB is monitoring all the Pharma and

Chemical industries on quarterly basis as per the inspection protocol to verify the

compliance of the Consent conditions and hazardous authorization conditions.

(e) & (f) SPCB/PCC are the prescribed authority for implementation of Rules including

monitoring of compliance of various provisions, conditions of authorization and

taking action against violations of the aforesaid rules as per Rule 21 and Scheduled

VII of HOWM Rules, 2016. Further, CPCB also carry out random inspection of few

units for compliance verification of HOWM Rules, 2016. Details of inspections and

action taken in last 3 years are given at Annexure-I.

The non-complying industries are reviewed by the TSPCB and action is being

initiated on the defaulting industries which includes Closure of 26 industries and

directions to 276 industries.