Plastic waste site in Kerala catches fire

According to reliable sources, a fire broke out at a waste dumping site in Palakkad, Kerala, in the early hours of 22 February.

Fire and rescue personnel confirmed that a huge quantity of plastic waste collected by the Haritha Karma Sena was deposited near Chittur village. This caught fire around 4 am. Haritha Karma Sena is a Kerala government initiative for sanitation and waste management in local self-government bodies in the state.

A fire and rescue services officer present at the incident site confirmed that around six fire tenders were pressed into service before the blaze was brought under control.

The officer also confirmed that the fire will not spread as it has been controlled. The team is waiting for the fire to burn out. No casualties were reported; a North Indian family living nearby was evacuated before the operation began.

Plastic waste management is crucial as it poses serious environmental and health hazards. It pollutes water and land, harms wildlife, and releases microplastics into ecosystems. Another major risk of plastic waste is a fire hazard due to its high flammability.

Burning of plastic waste releases toxic fumes into the environment, which is detrimental to the environment and living organisms. The emissions from burning plastic waste lead to air pollution, which worsens climate change and endangers human health. Proper waste management, recycling, and plastic use reduction are crucial to mitigating these dangers.