The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : PCB directed to stop auctioning of waste oil

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Friday, Jul 29, 2005

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

PCB directed to stop auctioning of waste oil

Special Correspondent

Monitoring committee visits KSRTC Central Works

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Supreme Court Monitoring Committee on Hazardous Wastes, which paid a visit to the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation's (KSRTC) Central Works at Pappanamcode here recently, has directed the Pollution Control Board to (PCB) ensure that the corporation does not auction waste oil as it is likely to reach the wrong hands.

The visit was in the context of the PCB complaining that the KSRTC was not responding to queries about the manner in which it disposed of waste oil despite several circulars.

The KSRTC generates more than 350 KL of used/ waste oil and the committee decided to monitor its disposal since the quantity was substantial.

It found that the last consignment of 181 KL of used oil had been disposed of to Bharat Oils from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. The KSRTC, however, could not produce the manifest or any record of the sale in line with the procedures laid down in the Hazardous Waste Rules.

The PCB informed the committee that despite letters to Bharat Oils about transport manifests, no replies were forthcoming. Hence the Board had decided to cancel the authorisation of Bharat Oils to transport used oil out of Kerala.

KSRTC gives undertaking

The KSRTC gave an undertaking that in future, for more effective implementation of the rules, they would ensure that the oil was despatched to Southern Railways, which is near the Central Works. The corporation also agreed to follow the directions given by the PCB in this regard.

The committee found that tenders and auctions were leading to grave distortions in the present scheme for collection and transport of hazardous wastes, including used oil. It was in the light of this finding that the PCB was asked not to allow the disposal of used oil through auction.

The Board, in consultation with used oil recyclers in the State, should set a fixed rate for disposal of the oil to the units and also if possible, demarcate areas for collection linked to specific registered units.

The used/waste oil should be given to the nearest possible registered/authorised unit registered with the Central Pollution Control Board, from the location of the generator of the oil.

The committee, which also visited the Southern Refineries plant at Parassala in the district, directed the management to get their system of disposal of plant residue approved by the PCB. It was found that the residue, which amounts to around 15 per cent of the throughput, was being sent to five rubber units. where it was reportedly used for impregnating rubber. The management was told that the units receiving the oil residue would also have to be authorised by the PCB to receive the material. Except for this lacuna, the committee found things in order at the plant.

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