POSES GRAVE DANGER TO THE PUBLIC

IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF CHEMICAL WASTES

The improper way of disposing tins containing leftover organic solvents and chemicals in the garbage dumps is posing a danger to the public, especially trash collectors.

Since January this year, four incidents of bottles containing chemical solvents exploded, in which one person succumbed to burn injuries.

Forensic experts who collected the remnants from the spot where Nirmala was injured have identified that the explosion was due to the organic solvents present in the container. A Clues team official from Hyderabad said, “If tins containing leftover organic solvents are unopened for a long time, the chemicals get evaporated and build pressure inside the tin. If they are exposed to pressure, they tend to explode resulting in a flash (fire).”

On September 8, Shaik Ali, 40, a ragpicker died in an explosion at Attapur in Rajendranagar when he tried opening a container containing organic solvents. On January

29, Manik Rao, a ragpicker survived injuries in an explosion during his attempt to open a paintbox collected from the garbage at Yellareddyguda in Jubilee Hills.

The official said that in both the incidents, the tins had traces of organic solvents and similar traces of the solvents were found in the incident at Meerpet. Whereas in the explosion that took place at Nacharam in which a

15-month-old girl child suffered injuries, the box she stepped on while playing contained chemicals, he shared.