Caution against incinerators

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JUNE 8. The Greenpeace and Thanal, a city- based voluntary group, have warned against the setting up of more and more incinerators in Kerala as they feared that the State will be converted into a disaster zone as far as public health is concerned.

A recent survey carried out in 145 hospitals in the State by Thanal had revealed that 65 of the health care institutions had incinerators. All of them violated even the highly inadequate design parameters mandated by the law. Even in the State capital, the residents are exposed to the pollution from at least 10 known medical wastes released from the incinerators.

Incinerators are a known source of deadly pollution and it is unforgivable that Government agencies are silent spectators and active proponents in pushing the technology in the State, Mr. R. Sridhar of Thanal, said in a release here.

Both organisations have appealed to the civic authorities to avoid investments in end-of pipe mixed waste management strategies such as incinerators, landfills or other centralised facilities. Instead progressive waste management interventions such as segregation of garbage at household level, reduction of the use of toxics and other unsustainable material and recycling and reusing of other material should be taken up.

The Greenpeace and Thanal have called for a ban on the incineration of wastes following a finding that poisonous emissions from incinerators were causing alarming effects on the sexual development of children living near the plants.

A study published in May 2001 issue of the international medical journal `Lancet' stated that teenagers living near the incinerators have retarded sexual growth than those living in rural areas. The study revealed that these teenagers' bodies contained high levels of toxic chemicals linked to incinerator emissions.

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Section  : Southern States
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