After Toxic Waste Arrives in Town, Self-Immolations

In what's often called the world's worst industrial disaster, a 1984 chemical accident at a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, unleashed a toxic gas that killed thousands of people over subsequent years. The toll is still being felt in Bhopal, in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, where more than 1 million tons of contaminated soil remained as of 2010—but also 140 miles away in the industrial town of Pithampur. On Jan. 2, containers holding 370 tons of toxic waste arrived in Pithampur from Bhopal to be disposed. A day later, residents took to the streets, throwing stones and attempting self-immolations over pollution concerns, reports the BBC. At least 80 industries shut down operations, per the Times of India.

The waste includes five types of hazardous materials, including pesticide residue and forever chemicals. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav says the necessary disposal, ordered by the state's high court, will be safe. Some of the uproar resulted from a lack of communication, per CNBC TV18. Officials now say they plan to incinerate test batches, before expanding the process if toxicity levels are safe. A senior official said a "four-layer filtering will purify smoke" to prevent toxins entering the air, while any residue will be "sealed in a two-layer membrane" and "buried in a specialized landfill" to prevent it contaminating soil and groundwater, per the BBC. Residents remain skeptical.

Pithampur's rapid industrial growth in the 1980s "led to hazardous waste buildup, contaminated water and soil with mercury, arsenic, and sulfates," per the BBC. Locals accuse companies of simply dumping waste in the soil and water, which shows elevated levels of harmful substances. "Pollution has made life unbearable," a 32-year-old resident tells the BBC, noting "skin diseases and kidney stones are common." Residents fear adding more waste could cause an environmental disaster. A Jan. 6 court ruling gave the state government six weeks to safely dispose of the waste. After the protests, officials said they would aim to increase public confidence before moving forward, per CNBC TV18. (More India stories.)