Mercury Waste from India Shipped to US

Abstract

A shipment of mercury-contaminated waste from India is on its way to the US for recycling, instead of the other way round, and some say there is more going on than just an environmental cleanup. The waste 290 metric tons of industrial sludge and broken glass was generated over 18 years by a thermometer manufacturing unit of Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL), at Kodaikanal in the state of Tamil Nadu. The factory was closed down 2 years ago, following protests by local community and action groups, after they discovered that was dumping waste in nearby areas. After detailed examination, in consultation with the state pollution control board and the US government, we have allowed to export the waste to the US for recovery of mercury and final disposal, Junior Environment Minister Dilip Singh Judev informed the Indian Parliament on April 28. He added that has also been asked to clean up other mercury-contaminated sites in Tamil Nadu. Earlier investigations by local NGOs had found that levels of mercury contamination outside the factory and surrounding forest areas were several times higher than permissible limits. HLL is attempting to use the cleanup to destroy evidence which will demonstrate their culpability in the damage caused to the health of the employees and the environment of Kodaikanal, alleges Navroz Mody of the Palani Hills Conservation Coun-cil, a local NGO. However, a study carried out by URS Dames & Moore, environment consultants for HLL, found mercury concentrations between 0.1-10 mg/kg inside the factory and to the immediate north and south of the site. The contamination aste from India to US