‘20 workers at Deonar waste treatment unit had to resign over discrimination’

Some quit for fear of contracting the virus. Most workers have concealed that they work at a waste treatment facility. However, those who disclosed their profession faced a major backlash

With the outbreak of Covid-19, a major issue for the city has been the management of biomedical and associated waste. Fear of infection has led to frontline workers being stigmatised and 20 sanitation workers at the common biomedical waste treatment facility (CBWFT) in Deonar quit following discrimination from neighbours. The CBWFT incinerates all Covid-19 and non Covid-19 biomedical waste (BMW), which is managed as per the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) protocol.

Waste being processed at the Deonar facility.

Covid-19 waste includes used masks, head and shoe covers, disposable gowns and coveralls as well as associated waste, like leftover food, disposable plates and used tissues of Covid-19 patients.

All of the city’s Covid-19 waste passes through the Deonar landfill before reaching private operator SMS Envocare for incineration. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officers said the landfill is operating a no-contact approach followed by deep burial. Daily, 140 vehicles dump waste at Deonar. They are sprayed with sodium hypochlorite solution when they enter the site. Sandesh Lanke, sub-engineer at Deonar, said each day, least two pits that are 10-12-foot deep and 25 feet wide are dug by labourers. Vehicles dump the waste in the pits and then cover the pits with debris. “This way we avoid any contamination,” said Lanke, adding that Covid-19 tests and thermal screening are carried out regularly. So far, two security guards and six labourers at the landfill have tested positive for the Sars-Cov-2 virus, but all of them have recovered and reported duty again, said Lanke.

SMS Envocare, appointed by BMC to collect and incinerate the city’s daily waste, received 9 tons of Covid-19 waste and 6 tons of associated biomedical waste between June 1 and June 14. “From June 15-June 25, this waste increased to 12 tons for Covid-19 waste and 8 tons of BMW,” said Anup Nilawar, director, SMS Envocare.

Nilawar said no SMS Envocare workers had contracted Covid-19 and confirmed that 20 frontline sanitation workers had quit in the past two months. “Some quit for fear of contracting the virus. Most workers have concealed that they work at a waste treatment facility. However, those who disclosed their profession faced a major backlash, which has been demoralising, especially as they are the real Covid-19 warriors,” said Nilawar.

SMS Envocare said it is spending over Rs. 1 lakh per day, over and above their daily operational cost. “We started a separate Covid-19 allowance for all 386 workers. We have increased daily wages, providing incentives and purchasing additional PPE kits,” said Nilawar. “Those doing overtime are also given special allowances daily. All workers are regularly being counselled and daily health check-ups are organised.”

CPCB has urged citizens to help with waste segregation to minimise risk of environmental damage. “We are asking citizens to cut their masks, face shields, gloves etc. into pieces and collect as a part of the dry waste itself. This will go to the waste-to-energy plant in Kanjurmarg and very little, if at all, will be sent to the Deonar landfill,” said B Vinod Babu, nodal officer, CPCB.