Drive to manage waste from automobile service stations in Bangalore

Besides tackling air and noise pollution caused by motor vehicles, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) is planning to control hazardous waste disposed from automobile service stations.
This was revealed at a workshop on ‘Hazardous waste management generated by automobile service stations’, in Parisara Bhavan on Monday.
Addressing the participants, board chairman AS Sadashivaiah said that to assess the situation and to formulate storm water, effluent and solid waste management and noise and emission standards at bus depots, workshops and service stations, a project is being undertaken by the board and the German firm Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) .
It has already gathered information on the number, size and location of automobile service stations, workshops and bus depots city-wise and state-wise. But appropriate pollution control systems should be in place based on the ‘best available technology not entailing excessive cost’ (Batneec) concept. This would help in evolving suitable environmental standards and guidelines which are feasible for automobile service stations, workshops and bus depots.
The board has issued authorisation to 250 service stations of which 38 are large, 64 are medium and 148 are small. The hazardous waste generated in the automobiles service are used oil (recyclable), cotton waste, filters, oil pouches (incinerable), ETP sludge (landfillable), electronic and electrical waste (recyclable) and other solid waste such plastic, foam, discarded components, old tyres, rubber, synthetic seat covers etc. Attention has not been given for coolant (engine coolant) which is also a hazardous waste.
GIZ members, who took part in the workshop, said that in cities like Bangalore, vehicular population has been witnessing an annual growth rate of 7% to 10%. Two-wheelers constitute more than 70% of the total volume, whiles cars comprise 15%, autos 4%. The remaining 8% includes other vehicles such as buses, vans and tempos. Places where these vehicles are being serviced also contribute to pollution, they said.
In India, the ministry of environment and forests and the Central Pollution Control Board have been concentrating on direct emission control measures from traffic by working on EURO 2,3 and such norms to bring about clean fuels like CNG.
World over, the vehicle manufacturers have been under pressure to improve their products in terms of fuel efficiency. However, there is hardly any focus on automobiles service stations. KSPCB is going to focus on this sector as vehicular population is growing, Sadashivaiah said.