The Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG) has been investigating mercury-added skin lightening products (SLPs) for several years, primarily due to their health risks, their illegality under many national laws, and the prohibition by the Minamata Convention on Mercury against the manufacture and trade of mercury-added SLPs, which generally became effective …
FOR the past five years Hyderabad has been trying to clean the Hussain Sagar Lake, separating the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad in Andhra Pradesh. The efforts suffered yet another blow on June 20 when the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) denied permission to dredge the mouths of …
For the past five years Hyderabad has been trying to clean the Hussain Sagar Lake, separating the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad in Andhra Pradesh. The efforts suffered yet another blow on June 20 when the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) denied permission to dredge the mouths of …
Sitting atop the Palni hills, Kodaikanal, the premier tourist destination of Tamil Nadu, does not evoke images of pollution. A winding road through the hills lifts you from the stifling heat of Madurai, 121 km away, to the mist-covered town. Along the upper reaches, a trained eye can glimpse thickets …
We asked the Hindustan Unilever Limited to respond to the allegations in our story. Excerpts from an email reply We understand the HUL used to operate a mercury thermometer operations plant in Kodaikanal. And that the factory was forced to shut down in 2001 after the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control …
Three top institutions gave a clean chit to HLL on the health angle of mercury leak at its Kodai plant without examining victims, says Gokul Chandrasekar EVEN while the Madras High C o u r t w a s h e a r i n g t h e prayers …
RUBY Martine (80) walks to the graveyard every Wednesday to offer flowers at the grave of her son Christopher Martine, who worked at the Hindustan Lever Limited's (HLL) erstwhile mercury plant in Kodaikanal. Christopher died in 1997 due to kidney failure at the age of 33 and his mother claims …
PALIYA tribes living in and around Kodaikanal a re a l l e g e d ly f a c i n g health problems attributable to mercury pollution, according to an NGO working with tribals in the region. However, no study has been conducted till date to validate these …
THE issue of mercury leak in the eco-sensitive Pambar Shola forest in Kodaikanal from Hin dustan Lever's thermometer factory was firs brought to notice in 2001 by factory workers and environmental groups. The company later admitted on record to have discharged more than 1.3 tons of toxic mercury into the …
A tragedy similar to Bhopal gas leak is in the making our own backyard -- Kodaikanal. A series of flawed policies in handling the mercury leak at the Hindustan Lever Limited's failure to p factory there nine years ago has denied justice to the people and resulted in f protect …
The mercury level detected in freshwater (Pambar River) is 30 times higher than the mercury level recommended by US-EPA for freshwaters -- Mark Chernaik, toxicologist and scientist A site-specific target level of 25mg/ kg for cleanup of mercury in Kodaikanal is grossly inade quate to save the eco-sensitive Pambar Shola …
Although the toxic effects of metals, such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, have been well established for higher level exposures, the demonstration of population-wide harmful effects at lower concentrations has been more difficult. One possible reason for this is that at comparatively lower levels of exposure, only some people …
Assessment and remediation of hazardous waste contaminated areas in and around M/s Union Carbide India Ltd, Bhopal (NEERI & NGRI) and tender document for detoxification, decommissioning and dismantling of UCIL Plant (IICT).
In vitro bioaccessibility (IVBA) studies were carried out on samples of mercury (Hg) mine-waste calcine (roasted Hg ore) by leaching with simulated human body fluids. The objective was to estimate potential human exposure to Hg due to inhalation of airborne calcine particulates and hand-to-mouth ingestion of Hg-bearing calcines. Mine waste …
ISLAMABAD, May 19: Recognising mercury as a fatal chemical, the government with the support of a UN agency has developed a draft national mercury waste management plan for various sectors to meet the challenge.
KOLKATA, 12 MAY: The perception that Bengalis are intelligent because they eat fish may ebb away soon. Next time when a child fails an examination, a youth commits suicide because of depression; people get more agitated, or suffer from Parkinson
Rampant industrialisation will not go down well with the fish-lovers of West Bengal if People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) reports are to be believed. Fish is served at every Bengali festival and the way it is consumed by the community across the world leaves no doubt that …
In the run up to the Commonwealth Games this year, the Delhi government will launch a pilot project to set up e-waste disposal bins at various locations to curb the growing menace of electronic waste in the city. The e-waste disposal bins will be placed at markets including Nehru Place, …
Dr. A. R. L. Wijesekera- Chairman, Sri Lanka Standards Institution The Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) is aware of the current position regarding the concerns of the general public in respect of the lead content of paints available in Sri Lanka. SLSI has, accordingly, taken the following course of action: …
CHENNAI: MERCURY LEAK: JAIRAM ASSURES TO LOOK INTO CLEANUP STANDARDS ISSUE UNION Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has said he will look into the dilution of cleanup standards for mercury dumped in the Pambar Shola forest, Kodaikanal, by Hindustan Unilever (HUL). The Minister
