Backyard burning of waste

-

A CREW report

People in developing countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh still continue to burn their waste at home. Even the civic authorities have not built an environment friendly garbage disposal system in most cities across the Asian sub-continent. The garbage pick up vans visit the neighborhoods at prolonged intervals and instead of taking away the garbage for disposal elsewhere only end up as mobile incinerators as the garbage is set on fire at the neighborhood garbage collection site itself.

People burn waste on their own premises. What they burn includes paper, cardboard, textiles, food, garden clippings, synthetics like plastic, glass, metal and chemicals. The ‘backyard burning’ could be a cheap method of managing or disposing off waste. While doing this people do not realize that all uncontrolled low temperature burning of waste releases toxic pollutants directly into the air.

Latest research has already established that burning of municipal waste at low temperature and in the open releases deadly toxic pollutants into the air.

Backyard burning of waste at low temperature releases volatile organic compounds that can aggravate respiratory and heart condition as well as cause damage to kidney and liver. It pollutes the air by generating life-threatening toxics like dioxins and furans, some of which are carcinogenic and can cause cancer. Carbon monoxide, which causes nausea and forms harmful low level ozone, and nitrogen oxides that retard the respiratory system and lead to acid rain are also released into the air when waste is burnt at low temperature.

The ash that is left behind could also contain lead, mercury and arsenic. These poisonous chemicals can cause brain damage as well as heart and kidney failure.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Caste Conundrum: Let the Caste Census go Beyond Hindus

-
Image
  Lalit Shastri Lalit Shastri The demand for a caste-based census of the Hindu population in India has garnered significant attention and debate. This move by the Congress party and its allies has raised a crucial question: why restrict the caste census to Hindu communities alone? The intricate web of caste divisions extends beyond Hinduism, permeating other religions in the subcontinent as well. Therefore, it is imperative to contemplate a comprehensive caste census that encompasses all religious groups, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and also atheists. This article delves into the history and complexity of the caste system in South Asia more particularly in India, its presence in various religious communities, and why a holistic approach to the caste census is necessary. The Pervasive Caste System  To understand the need for an inclusive caste census, one must recognize that the caste system is deeply entrenched in the social fabric of the Asian sub-contin
Read more

India's Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 and Section 45 of PMLA: A Critical Analysis

-
  Lalit Shastri   The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) stands as a law against financial malfeasance, yet its provisions, notably the definitions under Section 2 (u), Section 2 (y), Section 3 relating to Scheduled Offence like misuse of funds attracting Section 447 of the Companies Act, 2013 and Section 45 of PMLA , have stirred a maelstrom of debate regarding the delicate balance between justice and security.  Section 447, which even provides for a seven year jail term, can be imposed and prosecution proceedings initiated against someone who may not even be guilty merely on the subjective, biased or vindictive Inspection Report prepared by the Inspecting Officer of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.  The matter could be worst confounded if the proceedings under the Companies Act, 2013 are vitiated at the behest of vested interests to distort the findings and conclusion in the Inspection Report. Once a court takes cognizance of prosecution complaint under Secti
Read more

A Call for Peace, Inclusion, and Sustainability on my Birthday

-
Image
Lalit Shastri As a global society, we must strive for peaceful coexistence and embrace the spirit of inclusivity. Our shared future depends on our collective responsibility to protect the environment, preserve wildlife, and safeguard the delicate balance of our ecosystems, including our rivers and forests. It is time we shun violence, extremism, and division in all its forms, fostering unity over discord. We envision a socio-economic order where equity, transparency, and accountability reign, ensuring that skill and merit are valued over privilege, exploitation and denial of equal opportunity to all due to the quota or reservation system. Also, corruption has no place in a society where every individual is dedicated to the common good, working for the advancement of humanity and securing a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come.  Together, we can build a world where compassion, justice with fairness, and progress guide our actions—creating a legacy that honors both t
Read more