Non-Toxic Medicinal Cooling Packs Abandoned Near Chennai Dumpsite Raise Environmental Concerns

Scores of non-toxic medicinal cooling packs, used to maintain optimal temperatures for medicines and vaccines, have been found abandoned near the Greater Chennai Corporation’s dumpsite in Perungudi. These packs, marked as food-safe, single-use, and non-toxic, were left unattended in 2021.

Scrap dealers in the area claim that the gel-filled packs were dissolved in the marshland, and the empty plastic waste is intended to be sold to dealers outside the state. Environmental concerns are raised, emphasizing that while the gels may be non-toxic, plastic material itself is harmful. The local authorities are urged to address the issue and trace the source of the waste.