Hyderabad: The city is accumulating mountains of sanitary fluid soaked non-biodegradable waste. Sanitary waste includes menstrual pads, baby diapers, incontinent diapers, and used cotton.
Ramky, the contractor appointed by the GHMC at the permanent dumping yard at Jawaharnagar, does not dispose sanitary waste in a scientific manner.
Hyderabad, on a normal day, generates 3,500 metric tonnes of garbage. Around 10-15 per cent of this is sanitary waste.
If a woman menstruates for 33 years (between the ages of 12 and 45) and uses about 20-25 pads per cycle, she ends up throwing away 8,000-10,000 pads in her lifetime.
Which means a single woman generates about 125-150 kg of sanitary waste in her lifetime.
As per the rules by the Pollution Control Board, sanitary waste should be classified as biomedical waste under the Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998.
It has to be buried in a landfill under a thick layer of clay, lined with high-density polyethylene and should have no contact with soil and ground water.
But the current contractor has no process of segregating the non-biodegradable waste. It is treated with other plastic waste and is allegedly burnt for quick disposal, emitting dangerous toxins.
Disposable sanitary pads are mostly made of polypropylene (plastic fleece) and cannot be recycled. An official from a manufacturing company said pads are made of wood pulp padding, absorbent polymers and a plastic-based gel.
The GHMC says daily collection of such waste from households may not be feasible. “GHMC regularly monitors Jawaharnagar.
We ensure that no garbage is burnt and is disposed of as per the guidelines of the PCB. Segregating sanitary waste from the other household waste is a task.”
Ramky was served a notice by the GHMC recently following complaints of foul smell by locals. It is being alleged that Ramky is burning plastic waste with sanitary waste.
“They contain padding, usually made of wood pulp mixed with absorbent polymers, a plastic-based gel that draws fluid away from the surface towards the bottom of the pad, which has a leak proof layer made from an impermeable polyethylene, non-woven film.
Apart from this, fragrances are sometimes added to sanitary pads,” said an official from a manufacturing company.
GHMC authorities, meanwhile, say that daily collection of such waste from households may not be feasible.
“GHMC on regular bases monitors the activities at Jawahar Nagar, we ensure that no garbage is burnt and is disposed of as per the guidelines of the PCB. Segregating sanitary waste from the other household waste is a task.”
There is no official data on sanitary waste in Hyderabad, it is counted along with the city’s other waste and is disposed without following PCB guidelines.
Often huge piles of garbage are burnt at the permanent dumping yard. Recently the PCB had also issued notices to Ramky following complaints from residents that foul smell was extended up to 7 km from the site.
Animal waste from government slaughterhouses was also found dumped at the site. It is being alleged that the solid waste management contractor of GHMC burns plastic waste along with the sanitary waste.
