4,500 industries in TN generate 11.5 lakh tonnes of hazardous waste every year: TNPCB

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) member secretary R Kannan said that more than 4,500 industries in the state generate around 11.50 lakh tonnes of hazardous waste every year.

Speaking at the general meeting of Industrial Waste Management Association (IWMA), Kannan added that out of 55,000 industries registered with the TNPCB, only 4,612 industries generate hazardous waste.

"Of the total 11.41 lakh tonnes of hazardous waste generated per year, around 36 per cent are recyclable. But, 1.33 lakh tonnes, which is 11.66 per cent, are landfillable waste," he explained.

Expressing concerns over mixed salt waste generated by textile industries and tanneries, Kannan said that around 3 lakh tonnes of mixed salt waste is generated in Ranipet, Vaniyambadi, Tiruppur and Erode.

"While a plant is functioning in Ramanathapuram to process mixed salt generated by textile industries but could process mixed salt from tanneries. But the capacity is insufficient. We have to find a solution to process mixed salt," he said.

He also requested the industries to register in a hazardous waste tracking portal launched by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

"We are in the process of creating an online waste exchange portal to serve as an e-commerce platform to trade waste and promote circularity," he added.