60 tonnes of New York City waste makes way to Kochi

Sixty tonnes of municipal waste, comprising plastic and paper from New York, was seized by custom officials in Kochi.

Kochi, Oct 18 : Sixty tonnes of municipal waste, comprising plastic and paper from New York, was seized by custom officials in Kochi.

Customs officials found three containers of municipal waste from the US city lying at the Customs Freight Station at Pettah near Kochi.

Suspicious about the consignment, the custom officials informed the matter to the State Pollution Control Board.

On being alerted, the board immediately constituted a high-level committee comprising environmental engineers and scientists to look into the matter.

The four-member committee of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) along with senior customs officials will examine the three containers imported from New York.

"Based on the information, the government asked us to constitute a committee, and we will examine the consignment and submit our report today," said Vijay Kumar, chief environmental scientist of the KSPCB.

The officials have already started a detailed examination of the consignment. Preliminary reports indicate the presence of waste plastic and paper, glass, cans and electrical items in the consignment.

The detailed report will be submitted later in the day to the Chief Pollution Controller and concerned officials, said a senior member of the team.

The consignee 'Cochin kadlas,' a company manufacturing paper, had permission to import only waste paper. If anything other than the permitted consignment is found, it would be sent back.

Only non-halogen plastic can be imported into the country and that too only after prior permission from the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

ANI