Abbattoirs pollute: CPCB

Hyderabad: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has found that smaller slaughterhouses in India are highly polluting with untreated effluents exceeding 75 times than the international standard. 

The study, which analysed over 1,176 slaughterhouses and 75 modern abattoirs, has highlighted the poor pollution standards followed by the industry.

Slaughterhouses are water intensive units. The report found that slaughter and carcass dressing require highest amount of water, ranging from 0.1 to 2.5 meter cube per tonne in India.

The report states that if the water consumption for these is reduced, then the contamination load can be effectively fixed. The report read, “The most significant environmental impact from slaughterhouses is the effluent. High water consumption and high BOD, COD and TSS concentrations arise during slaughter and carcass-dressing. Other key contaminants are nitrogen and phosphorus from breakdown of proteins, feed residues, and chlorides from hide/skin salting. The excessive use of water is an environmental issue in itself.”

The COD levels found in effluents from slaughterhouses is around 3000-7000mg/l. However, as per the US standard, it must be as low as 250.

This translates into quite worrisome figures for the Telugu states as the undivided twin sta-tes have over 234 slaughterhouses, the highest across the country.