India’s NGT is acting to have pyrolysis processes assessed for environmental impact.
India to Study Environmental Impact of Batch Pyrolysis Plants
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to carry out a study within four months to find out if advance batch automated plants can address pollution caused by burning of waste tyres in the pyrolysis industry.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel asked the CPCB to involve National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and IIT-Delhi in carrying out the study.
There are now 678 tyre pyrolysis units in 19 states. Out of these 678 tyre pyrolysis units, 270 are complying, 250 are not complying, and 155 units are closed or not in operation, it said.
The CPCB said of the two units whose “consent to operate” are under renewal, one is operational, and the other is closed.
“The increase in the number of compliant units is mainly due to monitoring by CPCB and state pollution control boards (SPCBs). SPCBs based on the direction of CPCB has started the process of closing the noncompliance units. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has recovered environmental compensation of Rs 77,500 from three units,” it said.
The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by an NGO — Social Action for Forest and Environment (SAFE) — seeking a complete ban on end-of-life tyres (ELTs) in pyrolysis industries due to non-implementation of the existing laws resulting in adverse environmental impact.
According to the plea, use of waste tyres by the pyrolysis industry operating in the country, which is engaged in producing inferior quality pyrolysis oil, pyrolysis gas (pyro gas), solid residue (char), carbon black and steel through the pyrolysis process needs to be banned to prevent environmental damage.
“Direct the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, the CPCB and the state pollution control boards in consultation with other scientific agencies to develop a monitoring mechanism to ensure that waste tyres imported in the country are verified through scientific means and a robust monitoring framework,” the plea had said.
