Arsenic calamity in India’s West Bengal: a critical review of mitigation scenarios

Arsenic pollution of groundwater is a serious concern in the developing world. Over the last decade, significant progress has been made in arsenic remediation in India, where millions of households are exposed to arsenic poisoning through drinking water drawn from contaminated aquifers. Arsenic-treatment units (ATUs) have been effective in helping regions where piped-water supply of surface water is unachievable due to logistic constraints. However, no policy measure exists on environmental and economic management of the voluminous wastewater produced by ATUs. The waste is highly toxic in terms of its arsenic content and leachability and therefore can readily re-contaminate local environments if suitable stabilisation methods are not implemented. This paper presents an investigation of the recent developments in arsenic-wastewater-management practices of a severely affected state called West Bengal. Commercial fixation of the waste by incorporation into building materials is often seen as a potent method for ultimate encapsulation of arsenic toxicity. By analysing the practical efficacy of such a prospective project, the author has made an attempt to model scenarios involving non-hazardous and financially beneficial arsenic waste management for sustainable arsenic mitigation in the region.