Toxic Waste Fuels Jaggery Units

CHAMARAJANAGAR

The plastic and rubber waste generated in Kerala is used as fuel to produce jaggery in manufacturing units in the district.
The district has more than 245 such units, which are called alemane. As the plastic and rubber waste are found to be cheaper than other form of traditional fuel like firewood, many are using them as fuel leading to toxic emissions thereby causing air pollution and exposing villagers to health hazards, activists have complained. The problem also exists in Mandya district, they said.
Loads of plastic, rubber and other industrial waste is dumped by trucks from Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the premises of jaggery-making units found at Yelandur, Kollegal Hanur and parts of the district, where most of the jaggery-making units are found to be using these toxic waste, according to farmers leaders.
Some even burn vehicle tyres during the production of jaggery. Several are dependent on the waste from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which is sold at Rs 800 to Rs 1,200 per tonne.  As the cost of firewood has increased nowadays, many of units in the taluk have started to use plastic as fuel, said Mariaswamy of Kesthur village in Yelandur taluk.
Ggeneral secretary of State Sugarcane Growers Association, Baradanapura Nagaraj, told that the District Administration and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board must curb such activities as it is dangerous and causes lung infection, serious respiratory problem among children, elderly citizens.
 Additional Deputy Commissioner Katyayinidevi said, there is no provision for jaggery-making units to use plastic waste as a fuel. District administration will take serious action if they receive complaints against such units, she said.