To improve the compliance of management of hazardous waste and its utilization & recycling the State Pollution Control Board has organized online training on 20-02-2020 in association with the Central Pollution Control Board to the 45 industrial units engaged in recycling of metal bearing hazardous waste, utilization of hazardous waste/contaminated containers and collection/transportation of used oil in the State. The training was chaired by Dr. Nipun Jindal, IAS, Member Secretary, Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board and also attended by the Regional Officers of the State Board.
The Member Secretary in its key note address highlighted the provisions of new regulations dealing with management of hazardous waste and objective to organize this training program. Since the new regulations has focus on reduce, reuse and recycle of waste generated during the manufacturing process by the industries, therefore the role of the units engaged in recycling/utilization of hazardous waste is very significant. Being a critical environmental infrastructure facilities all units registered under Rule-9 of the Hazardous and Other Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 need to ensure compliance of the provisions of rules and prescribed Standard Operation Procedure (SOP). In this regard the State Board has prescribed an enhanced monitoring and sampling schedule for these units.
The Member Secretary further informed that the State was pioneer in setting-up of Common Treatment, Storage, Disposal Facility (TSDF) of landfill capacity 10 lakh MT, at Nalagarh, District Solan, which is operational since June, 2008 and is being used for scientific landfill disposal of hazardous waste. Apart from that 45 units have been authorized to recycle and utilization of hazardous waste in the State. The State annually generates approximately 28000 MT of hazardous waste through the industrial manufacturing process of 2436 units, out of which about 34 % is being recycled/utilized/co-processed and remaining about 66 % is being disposed through scientific landfill at TSDF. The Member Secretary stressed the need for more emphasis on recycling/utilization of hazardous waste for which ample infrastructure have been created by the State in order to meet the objective of new regulation.
Ms. Dipti Kapil, Scientist-D, Central Pollution Control Board has also made a presentation on regulation of inter-state movement of hazardous waste, SOPs for recycling/utilisation and requirement of reporting by the units. The online training program was well taken by the participating units and appreciated State Board’s efforts for organizing this training.
