Mustard can end heavy pollution

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, May 7: The local scientists have found an
easy solution to contain pollution in the garbage. Studies conducted by
them revealed that the Indian mustard, a plant commonly found in
local environment can put an end to the heavy pollution caused by the
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) that piles up in tonnes in big cities and
large towns. In a process of finding wealth from the waste, a group of
environmentalists belonging to the city and West Bengal identified
Indian mustard, locally called as avalu for Phytoremediation of
MSW. Phytoremediation is a low-cost alternative and the systematic use
of plants for environmental contaminant treatment. The complexity
and diversity in composition of Municipal Solid Waste makes it one of the
most important urban sources of pollution, which was posing a major threat
to public health and the environment. It is estimated that the per capita
of MSW generated daily, in India ranges from about 100gm in small towns to
500 gm in large towns. Solid waste management has become a major
environmental issue in India. “The growth in MSW in our urban centers has
outpaced the population growth in recent years. This trend can be ascribed
to our changing lifestyles, food habits, and change in living standards.
The direct use of MSW as a source of organic manure is harmful since
It contains different toxic metals, harmful pathogens and many other
organic and inorganic pollutants that ultimately enter into the human food
chain through plant products” says Dr N Srinivas of Gitam university.
A group of environmentalists headed by Dr N Srinivas conducted some
scientific investigations on Visakhapatnam municipal waste. The group
finally identified a plant which is commonly available in the local
environment. The study group conducted several experiments on hyper
accumulator plant Indian mustard scientifically called as Brassica Juncea.
According to the environmentalist the mustard plant that was dropped in
the solid waste absorbed the high toxic metals that were present in the
waste. In Visakhapatnam every day about 600 to 700 tons of MSW is
generated. The MSW contains heavy metals particularly Zinc, Copper, Led,
Nickel. The sources of these metals in MSW were due to presence of
batteries, e-waste and other modern house hold items. The mustard plants
can be dropped in the solid waste dumping yards. After a few days these
plants can be removed from the yards and make into ashes. Later the ash
can be disposed. “Even though the present process of land filling of the
solid waste by the authorities is good in long run there is every chance
of ground and surface water contamination due to the presence of these
high toxic metals in MSW. And spilling just a small plant will ward off
the future threat of important urban sources of pollution, which was
posing a major threat to public health and the environment. Solid waste
management has become a serious environmental issue these days. And the
solution is a very simple. It is harvesting Indian mustard, which is very
easy and also economical,” said Srinivas.
Ends/SNV Sudhir