Trashing up the ecosystem

An example of civic apathy was seen recently when a fire broke out at the Brahmapuram dump yard in Kochi, and raged on for 10 days. The city was bathed in toxic fumes and residents living in close proximity to the dump yard were compelled to shift out of their homes temporarily until the inferno died down. However, poisonous dioxins and furans spread far and wide due to the winds. To top it off, the dump yard has been functioning in the absence of a licence since the last seven years.

Kochi’s experience should set off alarm bells in Chennai and metros across India that are rife with inflammable dump yards of varying sizes. One such blaze took place in April last year in the Perungudi dump yard, which was followed by another fire in the Kodungaiyur dump yard in May 2022. The fires were caused by the build-up of methane from decomposing organic waste, which were in turn supplemented by refuse such as paper, wood, plastic, polymers and other items that get rapidly dried under the hot sun. Unfortunately, landfills across India are sitting ducks for such incidents, as waste segregation is not being followed religiously at the end point.

Mixed waste dump yards are known to release harmful chemicals and gases into the air, and into the water table of the region. For instance, in Maharashtra, there are the Adharwadi and Deonar landfills, while New Delhi is home to massive piles of refuse collected in Okhla, Ghazipur and Bhalswa. In Chennai’s case, a study from 2019 showed that 1 in every 3 residents of the 5-lakh strong population living around the Kodungaiyur dump yard had reported being affected by mild respiratory issues, migraines and skin infections.

Our city coughs up in excess of 6,500 tonnes of garbage per day, of which 50% is organic waste that can be composted. The Perungudi dump yard has close to 225 acres of legacy waste, which is a mix of garbage dumped many years back. Of this, as much as 100 acres will be reclaimed via biomining, and 60% of the work has been completed on this project, initiated by the Greater Chennai Corporation.

On the other hand, the Kodungaiyur dump yard, which is 343 acres large, has 258 acres of legacy waste, and the biomining project is yet to commence here. Having been cautioned by the Kochi episode, the GCC has reserved manpower and equipment to deal with the fallout of any blaze. Chemicals are also being sprayed on the landfills to prevent the build-up of methane. A detailed project report is being prepared by GCC on the two dump yards, with an aim to rid the city of landfills, and in turn tackle solid waste from point of origin to the end.

But, there are a few measures needed to ensure that dump yards serve their purpose in an ecologically safe manner. Experts recommend that separate landfills are maintained for wet and dry waste, i.e. organic and inorganic refuse. This will help in mining recyclable garbage. Stakeholders have suggested the possibility of construction of bioreactor landfills that can provide energy as well as compost. The onus of cutting down on the quantum of waste falls upon citizens and the society as a whole. Scientific management of waste will depend on the adoption of sustainable lifestyle habits, something to be considered in the backdrop of increasing urbanisation.