Exclusive: Bhopal Gas Leak's Toxic Waste Disposal May Spark Health Crisis

Nearly 40 years after the gas leak at Bhopal's Union Carbide factory left over 5,000 people dead and severely affected thousands more, the Madhya Pradesh government is set to begin incinerating 345 metric tonnes of the toxic waste from the ruins of the factory.

The department of Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation will oversee the waste treatment at a facility in Indore's Pithampur. The Centre has allocated Rs 126 crore for this project, set to begin this month. This waste is just 5 per cent of the hazardous waste that lies buried in and around the factory.

Massive Health Risk

The incineration of toxic waste is likely to release organochlorines in large quantities and produce carcinogenic chemicals such as dioxins and furans, posing a massive health risk to local residents and the environment. According to a WHO report from last year, dioxins "are highly toxic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer". It is for this reason that states such as Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat have earlier refused to incinerate this waste.

Former minister and BJP leader Jayant Malaiya and Gas Relief Commissioner Muktesh Varshney are among those who have voiced strong concerns about the environmental and health impacts of burning this toxic waste in Pithampur.

In fact, Madhya Pradesh government filed a Special Leave Petition in Supreme Court in 2012, opposing the incineration of the toxic waste in Pithampur. Concerns were raised about possible pollution of Yashwant Sagar Dam, a key water source for Indore city, and health risks to those staying near the incineration facility.

The Cost Question

The Rs 126 crore investment is to incinerate just 5 per cent of the toxic waste, pointing to the huge monetary cost of this exercise. In 2012, German company GIZ offered to transport and incinerate 346 metric tonnes of this waste in Hamburg for Rs 25 crore. GIZ backtracked after German environmental organisations and activities opposed the idea of burning the waste in their country. Now, a much higher amount - Rs 126 crore - is being spent to dispose off the same amount of waste here.

According to experts, the "polluter pays" principle must be applied in this case and Dow Chemical, of which Union Carbide is a part now, must bear the cost for safe disposal of the toxic waste. Dow Chemical maintains that it never owned or operated the Bhopal plant.

Vijay Shah, the current Gas Relief and Rehabilitation Minister, "After I became the minister, we took the budget from the Centre for the toxic waste disposal. We are working with the cooperation of the Centre. Tenders were issued for this work before I became the minister. We expect that all that the waste would be burnt within a year."

A Looming Health Crisis

The after-effects of the December 2, 1984 gas leak, widely considered to be the biggest industrial disaster worldwide, have affected lakhs across generations. Many children have been born with deformities, and adults living close to the factory have suffered acute health effects of toxic gases for life. The toxic waste has polluted groundwater of 42 settlements around the ruins of the Union Carbide factory with Persistent Organic Pollutants. The Supreme Court acknowledged this and ordered the provision of clean water to the affected areas. Over the past five years, this pollution has spread to 29 more settlements.

In 2014, the United Nations Environment Programme had offered to assess the toxic waste, but the Indian government did not pursue this option. Since 2010, the government has demanded Rs 350 crore from Union Carbide and Dow Chemical under the "polluter pays" principle for the clean-up efforts, but to no avail. The companies claim they do not fall under the jurisdiction of Indian courts.

Failed Trial Runs

Trial runs at the Pithampur facility to incinerate the waste have been largely unsuccessful, with six out of seven test runs failing and resulting in the release of toxic chemicals. Local organisations have warned of protests if public health is affected.

Gautam Kothar, convener of Lok Maitri Sansthan, said, "In 2012, the Supreme Court ordered the burning of 10 tonnes of waste from a South Indian factory that had been shut down. The waste matched Union Carbide's, and it was done successfully. The small quantity ensured positive monitoring and no health hazards. This is not a process that can be completed in a day. If people face any problems during this, it could prompt mass protests. We are in discussions with other organisations about this possibility. While the waste issue needs to be resolved, the question is whether it is right to burn it at the cost of public life," he added.