Indian Aluminium Company Limited, Alupuram Smelter Eloor.

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Solid Waste generation:
1. There are two main hazardous wastes generated from the electrolytic cells.
a. Gaseous fumes containing fluorides and alumina dust. This is led to wet scrubber
for removal of fluoride and dust. The removed fluoride is neutralized using lime
and filtered. This scrubber sludge is land filled. Quantity of the same is 1000t/year
as per the authorization issued by KSPCB.
b. Another hazardous waste originates is from cathodes. The carbonaceous lining
degenerates after an age of 1500 to 2000 days. Upon this the lining is demolished.
This waste is called spent pot lining. Quantity of waste is 700 t/year and is stored
in building under cover on concrete pits.
c. Lead acid batteries retired from mobile equipments. This comes to 50 numbers per
year. Lead acid batteries are sold to authorized vendors or to the manufacturers.
d. Waste asbestos used as thermal insulation. Quantity of Asbestos waste is 1 t/year
which is land filled.
e. Spent bricks.
Refractory and fire bricks of failed pots are removed as and when required.
Quantity of this waste is 150 t/year as per the authorization issued by KSPCB.
2. Waste generation from casting plant. The following hazardous wastes are generated from
this plant.
a. Aluminium Dross.
b. Oil containing sludge and oil emulsion.
c. Lubricating oil and System oil.
Aluminium dross is oxides of aluminium, generated during the time of melting. Quantity
of the waste is 120 t/year. Generation of oil containing sludge is 1.5 t/year and
Lubricating /system oil is 2 t/year.
All the above wastes are disposed by sale to authorized re- processors.
3. Water Consumption and Liquid waste:
The industry now consumes 1140 KL of water per day. According to the consent
issued by KSPCB the quantity of effluent discharged through outlet No.A is
20,50,000 litres/day and through outlet no B is 6,50,000 litres /day. This quantity
is based on water consumption when the unit was working in full swing. Now the
industry is closed. The outlet A is to Periyar River which discharges effluent
from bath rooms and other washings .The outlet B is over flow from cooling
water tank which is discharged into land for percolation. During inspection there
was some effluent discharge through the outlet A.
Findings/ Recommendations:
1. The industry had de energized the smelter and associated facilities effective 1 st
august 2003.
2. There is no waste generation from the smelter since the above period.
3. The carbon electrode paste plant was shut down effective 1 st October 2003.
4. Hazardous waste from the scrubber generated prior to the above period is seen
land filled.
5. Spent pot lining is seen stored carelessly in the industrial building.
6. Spent bricks are also seen stored carelessly inside the industrial building.
7. Oil containing sludge /lubricating oil/system oil are seen stored inside the
plant building. This is disposed by sale to authorized reprocessors.