rules-regulations and guidelines

The Environment Protection Act

Environment Protection Act, 1986 is an Act of the Parliament of India. In the wake of the Bhopal Tragedy, the Government of India enacted the Environment Protection Act of 1986 under Article 253 of the Constitution. The Act is an “umbrella” for legislations designed to provide a framework for Central Government, coordination of the activities of various central and state authorities established under previous Acts, such as the Water Act and the Air Act. In this Act, the main emphasis is given to “Environment”, defined to include water, air and land and the inter-relationships which exist among water, air and land and human beings and others.

The purpose of this Act is to implement the decisions of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in 1972 so far, as they relate to the protection and improvement of the human environment and the prevention of hazards to human beings, other living creatures, plants and property.  The act has specific rules to manage the waste and chemicals.

Waste Management Rules

Waste Management Rules are notified to ensure safe handling, generation, processing, treatment, packaging, storage, transportation, use reprocessing, collection, conversion, and offering for sale, destruction and disposal of all kind of wastes including hazardous wastes.

The Rules lay down corresponding duties of various authorities such as MoEFCC, CPCB, State/UT Govts., SPCBs/PCCs, DGFT, Port Authority and Custom Authority while State Pollution Control Boards/ Pollution Control Committees have been designated with wider responsibilities touching across almost every aspect of general and hazardous waste generation, handling and their disposal.

Battery Waste Management

Hazardous Waste Management

Municipal Waste Management

Plastic Waste Management

E-Waste Management

Bio Medical Waste Management

 

Overview of Chemical Management in India

The chemical sector is an essential constituent of the growing Indian economy. The size of the Global Chemical Market (including fertilizers and pharmaceuticals) was estimated at $5.0 Trillion in 2017. The Indian chemical industry accounts for ~3% of the global chemical industry. It ranks 6th in the world and 4th in Asia. India ranks 17th in the world in exports of chemicals (excluding pharmaceutical products) and ranks 7th in imports of chemicals (excluding pharmaceutical products). With Asia’s growing contribution to the global chemical industry, India emerges as one of the favoured destinations for chemical companies worldwide.

India has a robust regulatory mechanism for addressing chemical management that targets all stages of chemical production, use and handling. Regulations have been enacted for the entire life cycle of chemicals, starting from manufacturing, storage, use, handling, transportation, import and export, recycling, disposal and waste management, consumer interest for using chemicals and the protection of the environment and public health that can be grouped under four heads: laws on chemical management and handling, chemical use and environmental management, chemical use, disaster and emergency management and special categories of chemicals.

Chemical Management Rules 

Management of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) chemicals 

Notification on Regulation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls(PCBs) Order, 2016

Regulation on Lead in Paints

Regulations of chemical Contaminants in Food Items

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is an autonomous body established under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. FSSAI is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety.

Management of agrochemicals in India

“On 29th September, 2023, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare issued the “Insecticides (Prohibition) Order, 2023” that prohibited the sale, distribution or use of three pesticides Dicofol, Dinocap, Methomyl and  37% SL formulation of Monocrotophos whereas restricted the usages of seven pesticides that includes Chlorpyrifos, Carbofuran, Mancozeb etc.: 

Notification : Click Here

On 14thof May 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture proposed a draft order intended to ban the 27 pesticides and sought comments or suggestions from stakeholders

The list of pesticides, according to the draft order, proposed to be banned include insecticides, fungicides and weedicides: 2,4-D, acephate, atrazine, benfuracarb, butachlor, captan, carbendazin, carbofuran, chlorpyriphos, deltamethrin, dicofol, dimethoate, dinocap, diuron, malathion, mancozeb, methimyl, monocrotophos, oxyfluorfen, pendimethalin, quninalphos, sulfosulfuron, thiodicarb, thiophante methyl, thiram, zineb and ziram.

 

Standards to deal with Chemical and Waste

Water Quality Standards

Water quality standardsare regulations that include designated uses and water quality criteria to protect those uses.

Hazardous Waste Management

BIS standards on Chemical

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in 2015 banned the use of BPA in feeding bottles for babies.

Regulation related to Women & Child

Indian Standards for Skin Creams

Indian Standards for Lipstick

BIS Other orders