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Hazardous waste lying at container freight station
2009/4/2
A delay in certification has led to non-clearance of 156 tonnes of hazardous waste from a private container freight station near Manali in India, the Hindu reported.
The hazardous waste, including newsprint, contaminated plastic, aluminium coated packages, human hair, food materials and glass in wet form, was imported from Belgium by an Andhra Pradesh-based importer.
Customs sources said the waste packed in six containers was loaded at the Antwerp port in Belgium and arrived at the Chennai port on November 11 last year. The consignment had been declared "news and pamphlet waste."
The Customs authorities on December 23 last year sent a request to the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) to examine the materials and certify them as hazardous waste.
The PCB authorities did not respond immediately.
After a reminder, the PCB authorities inspected the consignment and certified it as hazardous waste on January 30 this year.
Customs authorities ordered the importer to re-export the consignment back to the country of origin immediately.
The importer has gone on appeal stating that he had ordered the import of waste paper, which could be recycled. But, the exporter from Belgium had sent him the hazardous waste materials. The Customs authorities said the delay in re-exporting the consignment posed a major health hazard for those moving around in the container freight station.
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2009/4/2