Outraged resident shares disturbing video of strange smoke drifting from nearby facility: 'Toxic and carcinogenic materials'

Smoke from burning toxic waste is the last thing anyone should breathe, but that's reportedly what's happening for residents near an electric locomotive shed in Kalyan, India.

A Redditor found the video on social media platform X after it was shared by friends. The account that shared the video on X has been suspended, but on Reddit, one can see a cloud of black smoke coming from the train storage and maintenance facility. 

ELECTRIC LOCO SHED in KALYAN burn their toxic waste everyday which causes black smoke and pollution. Is this is the sustainable and eco-friendly way our Railway minister preaches that railway follows.
byu/Uncut_Veiny inindianrailways

It's not clear what is being burned, but the OP said, "Loco shed workers daily burn their toxic waste, which causes pollution and irritation."

"This is obviously not railway protocol," one Redditor pointed out.

Why is this waste being burned? It's one way to get rid of combustible debris such as unburnt coal and ash. However, as one commenter stated, "No one should be able to burn anything, including plant waste, in residential areas."

On the subject of burning coal and coal ash, Osvaldo Rosario, a University of Puerto Rico professor of environmental chemistry, told CBS News in 2020, "When you look at what it's made of, what are the key elements, chemical substances that make up the ash — you find horrendous things such as arsenic, selenium, chromium-6, vanadium. Many of these are toxic and carcinogenic materials." 

Long-term exposure to PM 2.5, a grade of particulate matter found in air pollution, was responsible for the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million Indian citizens annually between 2009 and 2019, according to a Lancet Planetary Health study. 

So, how is the country handling this issue? Wind and solar use is growing in India, but coal is still king for the energy demands of over 1.4 billion people, according to the Associated Press. The country is seeking to decarbonize its energy sector by 50% by 2030, though.

India added over 5,000 kilometers (3,107 miles) of electrified railways between 2018 and 2019 — however, the government didn't meet its 2023 goal of a fully electrified railway, per the Rapid Transition Alliance.

Sustainable train transit is one way to significantly reduce pollution, as it encourages fewer cars on the road, with gas- and diesel-powered personal vehicles a major contributor of planet-warming gases.

Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always 💯 Yes — often 😷 Yes — sometimes 😟 No — never 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

That's why the Spanish government made waves recently with its groundbreaking hydrogen-electric high-speed train, which can replace diesel ones with a retrofit. 

Landfills also produce loads of carbon, but one Indian company, NEOX, is using a high-efficiency electric incinerator capable of burning all types of trash at 1,200 degrees Celsius (2,192 degrees Fahrenheit) with few polluting gases.

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