NEW DELHI, May 14: The toxic cloud that hung over north-west Delhi on Sunday has once again raised the issue of location of hazardous waste dump yards in the Capital. The dumps, particularly those of plastic waste, situated close to residential colonies pose a great risk for the public.

It is clear that lessons from the Jwalapuri fire two years ago have not been learnt. The fire which broke out in the narrow by-lanes of Kamruddin Nagar is quite like the one in Jwalapuri which was one of the largest plastic waste markets in Asia. In fact, scientists say that since the Jwalapuri plastic waste traders shifted to this area they might have caused the fire.The fire caused panic among the residents of nearby colonies who were driven off because of the intense heat and breathlessness induced by the smoke. They were exposed to harmful chemicals including dioxins which are released when PVC catches fire.

``Even after the Jwalapuri case we had asked the municipality and the local government to ensure that no illegal burning of waste takes place and that certain precautions be taken before locating these units,'' said Dr DK Biswas, chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). ``But this process is just dragging on, though the Delhi Development Authority has issued notices for relocating these traders in Tikri Kalan,'' he added.On Sunday nearly 500 PVC godowns were reportedly gutted. Highlighting the threat plastics pose, the international environmental organisation, `Green Peace', says that the production as well as disposal of Polyvinyl chloride plastic of PVC, is extremely hazardous.

In their report on PVC titled, ``Dioxin Factories'', Green Peace, notes that some products of incomplete combustion, chemicals formed during the incineration process, are far more dangerous than the original waste.

Dioxins, furans, PCBs, and other complex organochlorines are among the most toxic of the persistent, bio-accumulative products emitted by waste-burning facilities, says the report. Senior campaigner of Green Peace, Bob Edwards said dioxins pose a serious long-term health risk and burning of PVC exposes populations to ``highly toxic chemicals without being aware''. He added, ``I

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.