Union Carbide waste to be fully burned in Pithampur within 72 days

The Madhya Pradesh government has informed the High Court that the trial run for burning Union Carbide's toxic waste in Pithampur has been successful. So far, 30 metric tons of waste have been incinerated in three phases, and the remaining 307 metric tons will be disposed of within 72 days. The court has directed that the process should be carried out under the supervision of the Pollution Control Board (PCB).

According to the government report, burning 300 metric tons of waste is expected to produce around 900 metric tons of ash. This ash will be safely stored in a scientific landfill site at the Pithampur plant to ensure it does not contaminate the ground. The government has assured that there will be no harmful impact from this disposal method.

During the hearing, the court was informed that the incineration will proceed at a rate of 270 kg per hour. The process has been planned based on guidelines from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The incinerator will be temporarily shut down at intervals but will complete the burning process before the next court hearing in June.

A trial run had earlier been conducted to incinerate 30 tons of waste, which was deemed successful. Based on this, the remaining 300 tons will be burned under the supervision of the central and state pollution control boards at a rate of 270 kg per hour. The court was informed that the incineration would follow all safety guidelines, and the ash generated from the process would be stored in a secure landfill to prevent contamination.

The waste originates from the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, one of the world’s worst industrial disasters. Toxic gases, including methyl isocyanate, leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide plant, affecting over five lakh people. The official death toll from the immediate impact was around 4,000, but government data suggests that the total number of deaths over the years has reached 15,000.

On December 3, the High Court criticized authorities for failing to clear the accident site despite Supreme Court orders and set a four-week deadline to shift the waste to Pithampur. By January 2, about 337 tons of hazardous waste had been transported to the Pithampur industrial area in 12 leak-proof, fire-resistant containers. However, the arrival of the waste sparked protests from residents and activists. On January 3, two men immolated themselves in protest, sustaining injuries.

The Supreme Court had earlier refused to interfere with the High Court’s decision to allow the incineration trials. The trials took place in three phases—on February 28, March 4, and March 10—at burning rates of 135 kg/hour, 180 kg/hour, and 270 kg/hour, respectively.

The court has also asked the government to consider additional suggestions from the Bhopal Group for Information and Action. The case will be reviewed again on June 30.

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