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:: என்னதான் நடக்குது இந்த தொழிற்சாலைகளில்? The products DCW deals in have been a source of concern to people of Kayalpatnam and surrounding areas for many years. Less than two years after Bhopal gas tragedy, in 1986, concerned citizens of Kayalpatnam presented a petition to Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board - expressing their fears. Click here to view the petition>> Doctors in the region have long attributed as reason the presence of DCW for many of the medical problems among the population - especially respiratory diseases. However, apparent recent spurt in incidents of Cancer in Kayalpatnam has reinvigorated those fears and debates. Well-documented discharge of effluents into the Sea by DCW and the dependence of people - especially in Kayalpatnam - on fish are primary health concerns. Here is a brief look at some of the products DCW deals in and worries about them. :: CHLORINE Chlorine is a by-product in the manufacture of Caustic Soda at DCW. When it is released into air, it can cause several problems. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an US-government agency, exposure to Chlorine can cause following symptoms: Burning of eyes, nose, mouth; lacrimation (discharge of tears), rhinorrhea (discharge of thin nasal mucus); cough, choking, substernal (occurring beneath the sternum) pain; nausea, vomiting; headache, dizziness; syncope; pulmonary edema; pneumonitis; hypoxemia (reduced O2 in the blood); dermatitis; liquid: frostbite - targetting Eyes, skin and respiratory system. Click here for more information. DCW says most of its Chlorine is used internally to manufacture other products such as Trichloroethylene. For many years, people of Kayalpatnam and surrounding areas have been exposed to Chlorine emissions from DCW. Incidents like entire town being engulfed in Chlorine emissions are rare now, but were common until few years ago :: MERCURY DCW manufactured Caustic Soda - using Mercury Cell Process. Though the Government of India had restricted setting up of new Caustic Soda industries based on Mercury Cell Process way back in 1980s, DCW officially continued to use this process till 2007, when it announced it has switched to Membrane Cell Process. Heavy presence of Mercury in the effluent discharges as well as the Sea off DCW factory has been documented since 1980s. Mercury is known to be a Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP). A form of Mercury - Methyl Mercury Chloride - was known to have caused, what later came to be known as Minimata disease. It refers to episodes in a place called Minimata in Japan, where hundreds lost their lives over a period of several years, after Methyl Mercury Chloride had entered the food chain of the population, through contamination of the bay. Click here for more information :: TRICHLOROETHYLENE DCW manufactures Trichloroethylene - using Chlorine and Calcium Carbide. Trichloroethylene is used as a degreasing agent in many fields. It is also a known carcinogen. In its 9th Report on Carcinogens, the US-based National Toxicology Program (NTP) determined that trichloroethylene is "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen." The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that trichloroethylene is "probably carcinogenic to humans." Click here for more information A Civil Action is a 1996 work of non-fiction by Jonathan Harr depicting a case involving contamination of water by Trichloroethylene in Woburn, Massachusetts in the 1980s. The book became a best-seller and won the National Book Critics Circle Award for non-fiction. A film by the same name based on the book was produced in 1998, starring Hollywood actors John Travolta and Robert Duvall :: VINYL CHLORIDE MONOMER (VCM) One of the focus products of DCW is the manufacture of Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC). PVC's contribution to DCW revenue is very significant - given the challenging factors surrounding the other major DCW product namely Caustic Soda. Caustic Soda industry in India is protected through levy of high import duty against cheaper imports from countries like China. Also, cost of electricity (high in India) is a major component in the pricing of Caustic Soda. DCW imports Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM) - the raw material for Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC). VCM is transported from Tuticorin Port to the village of Mulakaadu on the highway to Tiruchendur - where it is stored in a 5000 MT tank. DCW is constructing another tank of similar size (5000 MT) in Mulakaadu. This is apparently to increase production of Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) as well as prepare for the production of CPVC in its Sahupuram unit. DCW has recently announced technical agreement with a french company Arkema regarding this. VCM gas stored in a tank in Mulakaadu VCM (a hazardous chemical) is transported from Mulakaadu to Sahupuram factory by road using tankers. Those tankers travel through heavily populated areas like Palayakayal, Mukkani and Authoor. This is not a normal practice. For example, Chemplast Sanmar, which also uses VCM for the manufacture of Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) at its Cuddalore plant - uses Marine Terminal Facility to transport VCM to its factory. Besides, there are fears of emission of VCM gas into air during the manufacturing process. VCM is known to affect Liver, central nervous system, blood, respiratory system, lymphatic system causing symptoms such as lassitude (weakness, exhaustion); abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding; enlarged liver; pallor or cyanosis of extremities. It is also known to cause Liver Cancer. Click here for more information :: SYNTHETIC RUTILE DCW sources Ilmenite ore from Manavalakurichi in Kanniyakumari District of Tamil Nadu. Black sands of Kanniyakumari District, Kollam district of Kerala and Ganjam district of Orissa are primary sources for minerals like Ilmenite, Rutile, Limonite, Monazite, Zivon, Silliminate and Garnet. Locals employed to mine these sands (some of which are radio-active) have reported high incidents of Cancer and Mental Retardation among the population. See The Indian Express story. It has also been a subject of atleast one documentary. See The Hindu story. The procured Ilmenite ore is brought to DCW's Sahupuram unit for further processing. It is not clear how the sands are transported to the factory. The process of manufacturing Synthetic Rutile from Ilmenite Ore also involves roasting the sands. This method's impact on air is also not clear. By its own admission [see below], DCW's end product still has low levels of radio activity. a page from DCW's Website :: EVAPORATION PONDS The Environmental Clearance granted by Ministry of Environment & Forests, New Delhi to DCW Ltd. on 7th June, 2007 specifies ...High TDS effluent of 310 Cu.M./d will be treated in a separate treatment plant having Collection Tank, Flash Mixer, Primary Clarifier and Treated effluent collection tank. The treated effluent meeting the norms will be sent to solar evaporation ponds.... The effect of this procedure - disposal of high TDS effluent through evaporation - on environment - especially air - is not known. :: DISCHARGES INTO SEA The Environmental Clearance granted by Ministry of Environment & Forests, New Delhi to DCW Ltd. on 7th June, 2007 specifies ...unit will achieve zero effluent discharge by segregating it into Low TDS and High TDS streams ... In addition to this, the Consent order no.21824 given to DCW Limited (Caustic Soda Division) on 22.06.2010 by Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board specifies that ... 2. The unit shall not discharge any wastewater into nearby water courses directly/indirectly. That DCW Ltd. discharges effluent into the sea during the monsoon season (November - January) has been well-established. See the non-compliance page. Presence of high levels of mercury in marine products has also been documented by CMFRI scientists. See here.