The Hindu 27.08.2009
Incineration system soon at Gummidipoondi
Special Correspondent
| It will be introduced at the secured landfill site |
— Photo: V. Ganesan 
TACKLING HAZARDOUS WASTE: T.P.M. Mohideen Khan, Minister for Environment, with Debendranath Sarangi, Principal Secretary, Environment and Forests, at a workshop in Chennai on Wednesday.
CHENNAI: Incineration system will be introduced soon at the secured landfill site at Gummidipoondi, said R. Balakrishnan, Chairman, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), here on Wednesday.
Addressing a workshop on ‘Co-processing of hazardous wastes in cement kilns,’ organised by the TNPCB, Mr. Balakrishnan said the Rs.10-crore incineration facility would be ready in a month.
The secured landfill on a 20-acre plot was the first of its kind to treat, store and dispose of hazardous waste collected from various industries.
The facility inaugurated in January last year could handle up to one lakh tonnes of hazardous waste a year.
It was created mainly to avoid handling of hazardous waste by individuals and serve as a common facility to help industry.
Debendranath Sarangi, Principal Secretary, Environment and Forests, Government of Tamil Nadu, said the Centre was taking steps to strengthen Central and State pollution control boards by givin them more powers. Efforts were on to create regional environmental protection authorities.
T.P.M. Mohideen Khan, Minister for Environment, said the TNPCB had identified 2,655 industries generating hazardous waste to the tune of 3.14 lakh tonnes a year. Instead of dumping hazardous waste on the ground, the TNPCB was taking steps to identify ways to use them as fuel in the cement industry.
The Minister expressed concern over the increased generation of plastic waste. One of the cement manufacturers had agreed to use plastic waste as fuel. Such an effort by the cement industry would help in checking environmental pollution as well reduce fuel cost for industry.
Rajesh Lakhoni, Chennai Corporation Commissioner, and H.C. Sharatchandra, Chairman, Karnataka Pollution Control Board, participated.