Indore
Around 19 tonnes of soil containing toxic waste from the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal have been safely incinerated at a disposal facility in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh, officials confirmed on Thursday. This follows the earlier incineration of 337 tonnes of hazardous material from the site.
The Union Carbide gas leak in 1984, one of the world’s worst industrial disasters, killed over 5,400 people and affected thousands more. The recently incinerated waste was part of the contaminated soil left at the site since the tragedy.
Shrinivas Dwivedi, Regional Officer of the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB), said the waste was mixed with lime and other materials before being incinerated, generating over 800 tonnes of ash. This ash is being stored securely in leak-proof bags and will be permanently disposed of in a scientifically constructed landfill cell.
Additionally, 2.22 tonnes of packaging waste, including iron drums used during transport, are also being dismantled and incinerated. The entire operation was conducted under strict monitoring, with emissions found to be within safe limits.
The toxic waste was transported to the Pithampur facility, about 250 km from Bhopal, earlier this year amid protests by local residents concerned about environmental risks. However, the MPPCB assured that tests showed no harmful levels of methyl isocyanate or radioactive elements in the material.
According to the board, the waste mainly included soil, pesticide residues, and other semi-processed chemicals. The disposal process marks another step toward addressing the long-standing environmental impact of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy.
