Diapers, napkins catch civic bodies pants down

Kochi: Local-self government institutions are grappling with the plastic waste generated by way of disposed sanitary napkin and diapers including adult diapers in their limits and are landing citizens in a tight spot by refusing to collect the same along with other plastic waste.

The lone exception here is the Kochi Corporation which is collecting the same along with the other plastic waste and piling it up in Brahmapuram.

According to V.K. Minimol, former health standing committee chairperson and current member, Kochi Corporation, the Corporation as a solution to the waste generated by way of sanitary napkins and diapers had proposed purchasing incinerators to burn the same.

“The Suchitwa Mission did not allow the same citing air pollution. Now we have no other means but to dump it at Brahmapuram. Nobody is sure how to deal with this waste,” said Minimol.

Suneela Sibi, Maradu Municipality councillor said that the municipality collects cleaned plastic covers and move the same to shredding units for other use including tarring. “We don’t collect sanitary napkins and diapers and the citizens in the municipals limits are left to deal with the issue as we don’t have any mechanism to deal with it,” said Suneela Sibi.

Shameer Ali, a social worker in Kalamassery said that thousands of pieces of diapers and sanitary napkins are sold in Kalamassery Municipal limits alone and people resort to different ways to dispose the used ones. “Some burn it in their compound, some flush it out through closets, some dump it on waysides, especially those residing in flats. It is a burgeoning problem and authorities have a responsibility to find a solution to it. We in Kalamassery municipality limits are struggling and we do not know how to deal with it since the municipality does not collect it,” said Shameer.

Joseph Sherry, councillor, Eloor Municipality, said a new type of incinerator has been developed which uses dry leaves and paper to burn diapers and sanitary napkins and causes less pollution but it is yet to be in vogue.

“For burning in it, the diapers and sanitary napkins have to be dried up after discharging the contents into the closet. Again those residing in flats would find it difficult to dry them up and during rainy season also it will become impossible,” said Joseph Sherry.

Eloor Municipal chairperson C.P. Usha said that medical waste is being dealt by incinerators and there is no justification in denying permission for using it to local bodies.

“We are awaiting the clearance of the Pollution Control Board for a project of `20 lakh in this regard,” she said.