We asked the Hindustan Unilever Limited to respond to the allegations in our story. Excerpts from an email reply We understand the HUL used to operate a mercury thermometer operations plant in Kodaikanal. And that the factory was forced to shut down in 2001 after the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board took cognisance of citizens reporting mercury contamination in the area. Can you please clarify the authenticity of these reports? What were the circumstances which led to the closure of the factory? On March 7, 2001, NGOs drew attention of HUL to the presence of mercury tainted glass scrap in a scrap yard at Kodaikanal. On March 8, 2001, HUL stopped the manufacturing operations immediately on its own and instituted an investigation into the matter. Following closure of the factory, can you tell us what happened to the toxic wastes? What kind of clean-up operations did HUL undertake following the factory closure? HUL investigation revealed that mercury tainted glass scrap (containing residual mercury approximately 0.15%) was sold in breach of company’s established procedures. HUL engaged the services of M/s URS, an international environmental consultant, for site assessment and risk assessment. As an immediate step, HUL brought back in June 2001 the glass scrap from the scrap yard to factory premises for safe storage. In August 2001, five silt traps were constructed to prevent discharge of soil from the site to the Pambar valley, the only direction into which the water flows out from the site. The URS study report was submitted to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), the statutory authorities, in June 2002. The study concluded that there is no adverse impact on environment and health, except limited impact on the soil at some spots of the factory, which requires remediation. Thereafter, from March to May 2003, HUL exported around 290 MT, all the mercury bearing materials such as mercury contained glass scrap, semi and finished thermometers, virgin mercury and ETP sludge to a mercury recycler in USA. From February to May 2006, the plant & machinery and materials used in thermometer manufacturing at the site were decontaminated and disposed as scrap to industrial recyclers. The protocol for decontamination was prepared by URS, modified by Prof. Dr. Shyam R. Asolekar of IIT Mumbai, verified by NEERI, reviewed and recommended by the Scientific Experts Committee (constituted by the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee) and approved by the TNPCB. The Scientific Experts Committee appreciated the decontamination work carried out by HUL. Currently, HUL is undertaking remediation of contaminated soil within the factory premises following the protocol prepared by NEERI, reviewed and recommended by the Scientific Experts Committee and approved by TNPCB. Pre-remediation work has already commenced. All the necessary remediation equipment has been installed at the site and remediation work will commence once the consent is granted by TNPCB. There are reports that the consultant company, Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), hired by HUL to supervise decontamination operations has been financed by HUL earlier. Can you please clarify the exact relationship between HUL and NEERI? Are you satisfied that there is no conflict of interest that arises from this relationship? HUL did not decide to engage NEERI on its own. HUL was directed by the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee to associate NEERI, as an independent expert, for the remedial measures. HUL is paying for all the costs of the cleanup and remediation at the site. The consultancy service rendered by NEERI was paid by HUL in line with this principle. There is no conflict of interest since NEERI is not the decision making authority. NEERI provides scientific expertise as an independent expert for the remedial measures. Decisions are taken by TNPCB and they in turn consult the Scientific Experts Committee for scientific recommendation as required. Can HUL guarantee that the soil remediation process, that it has currently undertaken in the region, will remove all traces of mercury and bring mercury contamination levels down to internationally accepted standards? The remediation of contaminated soil within the factory premises is being undertaken as per the remediation protocol and standards approved by TNPCB. The Supreme Court Monitoring Committee directed NEERI to take up a Risk Assessment Study to develop soil remediation criteria for the site. Based on the study submitted by NEERI and the recommendation of the Scientific Experts Committee, the TNPCB has set soil remediation criteria. The clean-up criterion was based on the Risk Assessment Study and the need for preservation of local ecology. Remediation criteria based on site specific risk assessment study is internationally followed procedure for remediation. Are there any other mercury thermometer factories that HUL operates in India? Can you please give us details? No, HUL does not have any mercury thermometer factories in India. Mercury in glass thermometer factory was set up at Kodaikanal, India, by erstwhile Ponds India Limited in 1983 for export markets. It came under the management of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) through acquisition in September 1998 and was closed on March 8, 2001.