Gohana tyre pyrolysis unit sealed for mitting toxic gases

A team of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) carried out a surprise inspection. It sealed the operation of a tyre pyrolysis factory at Bhanderi village of Gohana in the district, after finding violations of the pollution norms and emission of hazardous gases.

Action against the Shree Balaji Trading Company at Bhanderi village, which is involved in tyre pyrolysis using scrap tyres as raw material and is considered under the ‘Orange category’, was initiated by the HSPCB officials after receiving regular complaints from the residents of the adjoining villages. The residents have complained about the emission of foul smell due to the release of noxious gases during the manufacturing process.

Following the complaints, Yogesh Kumar Saharan and Kushagra, both Assistant Environment Engineers (AEE) in the Regional Office at Sonepat conducted a raid at the factory on December 3 night.

The pollution board team found several anomalies during the inspection, including the unit emitting hazardous gases in the atmosphere and open environment during the manufacturing process of tyre pyrolysis by using scrap tyres as raw material without the installation of the required air pollution control devices, causing inconvenience to the residents. The Air Pollution control machine (APCM) provided by the unit in the pyrolysis section was found non-operational and was lying abandoned.

The unit has not provided any mechanism for the prevention and entrapment of fugitive emissions. An effluents treatment plant (ETP) installed by the unit but was found non-operational and abandoned during inspection. Black carbon was found spread all over the premises of the unit.

Apart from it, the unit has installed two diesel generator (DG) sets of 82.5 kva and 58.5 kva without the installation of the dual fuel kit or retrofit emission control device (RECD), which is a violation of the Commission of Air Quality Management direction on September 2023.

The residents also gave written complaints to the pollution board officials at the spot. The team submitted their reports to the Regional Officer (RO), Sonepat, in which it said that the unit was not only violating the Air Act, 1981, but also created an emergent situation by releasing hazardous gases, which endangered the inhabitants’ lives in the surrounding area and recommended immediate closing of the unit.

Following the inspection reports, Ajay Kumar Malik, RO, HSPCB, closed down the operation of the unit and also directed that the electricity supply of the unit be disconnected with immediate effect.