Soil around Mumbai’s garbage dumps contains hazardous levels of mercury: Study

• Snehal Fernandes, Hindustan Times, Mumbai
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• Updated: Nov 14, 2016 10:16 IST
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• The study has shown that soil and water around waste treatment facilities near Deonar dumping ground is corroded with high mercury levels (HT File Photo)

High levels of mercury have been found in the soil and water around biomedical waste treatment facilities at Govandi near Deonar dumping ground, and Uran in Raigad district, a study by Amity School of Biotechnology, Amity University, and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has revealed.

Mumbai generates approximately 4,762kg biomedical waste every day from health care facilities. Of the total waste, SMS Envoclean treatment facility-Deonar receives about 4,737kgs each day, and the remaining 25kg is treated at Evergreen Environmental, Uran.

The permissible limit for mercury content in soil is 0.01mg/kg to 0.3mg/kg. The analysis of soil samples found mercury content as high as 1.861mg/kg in February, 1.140mg/kg in March and 1.353mg/kg in April. For mercury content in water, the permissible limit set by law is 0.001mg/l. This was also breached as found after analysing water samples during all the three months – February (0.098mg/l), March (0.040mg/l) and April (0.115mg/l).

Mercury, a toxic heavy metal, is present in almost every medical device – from thermometers, sphygmomanometers that measure blood pressure, feeding tubes, gastrointestinal tubes, silver dental fillings (50% is liquid mercury), to x-ray machines, medical batteries, laboratory chemicals, vaccines and nasal drops.

Previous studies estimate that every year, two thermometers break per bed, resulting in accidental spillage of mercury. 

The health impacts of mercury contamination first came to the fore in Japan in 1956, when locals from Minamata city became victims of methyl mercury poisoning after they consumed the contaminated fish from the water that had mercury discharged in it from a chemical plant. This is now called the Minamata disease.

“Developed countries have already moved towards mercury-free instruments. We are yet to get there,” said Neetin Desai, director, Amity School of Biotechnology, Amity University, Panvel. “Mercury does not degrade, and remains in the environment for a long time. It’s contamination in water bodies can lead to ingestion in fish, which in turn can get amplified in humans upon its consumption. Long term exposure affects the nervous system, brains, lungs and kidneys.”

The study has recommended that mercury waste from healthcare facilities should be categorized as electronic waste (e-waste), and treated by authorised e-waste treatment facilities. In addition, segregation of waste should be done at health care facilities as per guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

“Mercury pollution is a problem. Hospitals are supposed to contain spillages but that is not happening despite the stipulated guidelines. We need to ascertain what levels of mercury are present at the waste disposal facility,” said Amar Supate, principal scientific coordinator, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. “We need to intensify monitoring in addition to educating hospitals.”

Biomedical wastes from health care establishments (HCEs) in Mumbai are treated at SMS Envoclean through methods such as incineration, autoclaving, shredding, and effluent treatment. BMW from HCEs in Uran are treated at Evergreen Environmental using methods that include deep burial, autoclaving, and shredding.

source - http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/soil-around-mumbai-s-garbage-dumps-contains-hazardous-levels-of-mercury-study/story-qAv4Qds9V4zQmZ2Nq3vssN.html

NGT bans dumping of waste near school, issues notice to Municipal corporation

The plea also said that due to mismanagement of dumping waste, the roads get covered with solid waste resulting into traffic.

The National Green tribunal took exception to unplanned dumping of municipal solid waste. (File)

A plea alleging that reckless dumping of garbage and municipal solid waste near a school in East Delhi was causing health hazard to the children has prompted the National Green Tribunal to retrain authorities from throwing any waste in front of the school.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notice to East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) and sought its reply in two weeks on a plea filed by a former scientist.

“In the meanwhile we restrain the EDMC or any other person from throwing municipal solid waste or any other kind of waste in front of the school in question and the Corporation should also take all steps to remove the waste that has been dumped in front of the school gate,” the bench also comprising justices M S Nambiar and Raghuvendra S Rathore said.

The tribunal also took exception to unplanned dumping of municipal solid waste and said that school children were suffering due to the mismanagement of the Corporation.

The matter is now listed for next hearing on September 23. The green panel was hearing a plea filed by retired scientist C V Singh seeking directions to “collect, segregate, dispose and transport” the solid waste of the dump sites as per the provisions of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.

Singh, in his plea filed through advocate Gaurav Bansal, said that while passing through Indraprastha Extension in Delhi, he observed that two ‘dhalaos’ (garbage collection points) are situated at the gate of a government school in West Vinod Nagar and near Mohammad Chowk, Vinod Nagar respectively.

“A vegetable market also assembles near the said school on a daily basis and the residue vegetables cause a lot of intense foul smell around the said area…It is respectfully submitted that natural process of decomposition of an organic matter in an unmanaged form leads to intense foul smell resulting into various critical diseases.

“Due to mismanagement and littering of solid waste dumped at dhalao no 1, the adjacent road gets automatically covered with solid waste resulting into traffic congestion leading to vehicular pollution,” the plea said.

Source - http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/ngt-bans-dumping-of-waste-near-school-issues-notice-to-municipal-corporation-2978707/