GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
RAJYASABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 833
TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2023
Managing pharmaceutical waste
833. SHRI G.C. CHANDRASHEKHAR:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state?

(a) whether antibiotic residue is included in the Central Pollution Control Board’s definition of pharmaceutical waste and if not, the reasons therefor;

(b) Whether Government is aware that Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) isathreattohealth;

(c) the number of deaths due to AMR-related diseases, from2019tilldate;

(d)WhetherGovernmenthasnotifiedguidelinestomanagewastecontainingactivePharmaceutical ingredients; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (e):Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) notified Environmental Standards for Bulk Drug and Formulation (Pharmaceutical) Industry on August 06, 2021 in which Chemical and Biological sludge or any residue, reject, concentrate generated from wastewater treatment or its management facility at Industry or CETP catering to industries engaged in manufacturing of bulk drug formulations of pharmaceuticals, has been classified as Hazardous Waste as per the provisions of the Hazardous Waste and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 and shall be managed in environmentally sound manner in accordance with these rules.

Further, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued “Guidelines on Monitoring Mechanism for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) residue” which includes antibiotic residue, to all State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees. The issue of antibiotic pollution and the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been well recognized by the Government of India. Accordingly, National Action Plan (NAP) on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) was released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India in April 2017, which provides a roadmap in tackling public health challenge related to AMR.