The activities of the division are carried out under three main thrust areas, viz., Chemical Safety; Hazardous Wastes Management and Solid Waste Management. Major programmes/activities are as follows:

1. Chemical Safety

   1. The Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical (MSIHC) Rules, 1989/2000 and the Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996 are the main instruments for ensuring chemical safety in the country.

   2. A comprehensive National Chemical Profile assessing the existing institutional, administrative, technical and legal infrastructure vis-a-vis the requirements of safe handling of chemicals in the country is being prepared.

   3. As on date, there are 1464 Major Accident Hazard Units (MAH) in 19 States of the country. As per the latest reports, 1395 on-site Plans and 118 Off-site plans have been prepared. All the states except Bihar and Jammu & Kashmir have constituted State Level Crisis Groups.

   4. A GIS based Emergency Planning and Response System has been developed for Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

   5. Out of 180 Hazard prone industrial pockets, Hazard Analysis studies have been initiated for 75 pockets. Based on the recommendations of the study reports, off-site plans are prepared.

   6. An inventorisation study on "Isolated Storages" carried out during 2001-02 has identified 347 Isolated Storages in the country.

   7. Under the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 as amended in 1992, all the MAH units handling chemicals in excess of the threshold quantities referred to in the Schedule, are mandated to take an insurance policy and deposit an equal amount in the Environment Relief Fund (ERF) to ensure immediate payment to the chemical accident victims.

2. Hazardous Waste Management

   1. The legal instruments for management of hazardous wastes are the Hazardous Wastes (Management & Handling) Rules, 1989, as amended in 2000, the Biomedical Wastes (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998/2000 and the Batteries (Management & Handling) Rules, 2001. Major responsibility for implementing these Rules is with the Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) and also with the State Departments of Environment.

   2. The Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989, amended in 2000 have been further rationalized and revised. Amendment Rules have been notified on 20^th May, 2003.

   3. About 4.4 million tonnes of hazardous wastes are being generated by 13011 units spread over 373 districts of the country (This data is based on the waste categories indicated in the Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989 and is likely to be revised in view of the amendments of 2000). The states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu account for over 63% of the total hazardous wastes generated in the country.

   4. The Batteries (Management & Handling) Rules, 2001 was notified in May, 2001 to regulate the collection, channelization and recycling as well as import of used lead acid batteries in the country. These rules inter-alia make it mandatory for consumers to return used batteries. All manufacturers/assemblers/reconditioners/importers of lead acid batteries are responsible for collecting used batteries against new ones sold as per a schedule defined in the rules. Such used lead acid batteries can be auctioned/sold only to recyclers registered with the Ministry on the basis of their possessing environmentally sound facilities for recycling/recovery.

   5. The Biomedical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules were notified in 1998 to regulate the management of wastes generated by Health Care Establishments (HCE) all over the country. Under these Rules, the wastes generated by HCEs are categorized into 10 categories and disposal methods for all the categories of wastes are also specified. The status of implementation of these rules is regularly monitored. Amendments to these rules are being finalized and are likely to be notified shortly.

   6. As per the Hazardous Wastes (M&H) Rules, 1989/2000 and 2003, all hazardous wastes are required to be treated and disposed off in the manner prescribed. In the absence of common disposal facilities in the country, permission has been granted to the hazardous waste generating units in the small scale sector, for storing their wastes temporarily in a secure, lined pit/facility within their premises. During the Tenth Plan Period it has been decided to focus on the setting up of common TSDFs in different parts of the country. While support would be provided for setting up two such common facilities in major hazardous waste generating states, one facility would be supported in other states.

   7. Subsequent to the notification of Hazardous Waste (Management & Handling) Amend Rules on 20^th May, 2003, the Registration Scheme, being implemented by the Ministry has been transferred to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The list of the Units registered with the Ministry upto May 2003, as Recyclers/Reprocessors having environmentally Sound Management Facilities can be accessed at:
      
      Approved Recyclers/Reprocessors
      
      Further updated lists of units registered as recyclers/reprocessors having environmentally sound management facilities for reprocessing used oil, used lead acid batteries & other non-ferrous metal wastes is now available at CPCB’s web-site at http://cpcb.nic.in or http://cbcb.delhi.nic.in.

   8. List of Importars of New Lead Acid Batteries Registered with Ministry of Environment and Forests [htm], [pdf], and [word]

    

3. Solid Waste Management

   1. The Municipal Solid Wastes (Management & Handling) Rules, 2000, the Fly Ash Notification, 1999 and the Recycled Plastics (Manufacture & Usage) Rules 1999 constitute the regulatory frame-work for the management of solid wastes in the country.

   2. The Recycled Plastics (Manufacture & Usage) Rules, 1999, have been amended and the Recycled Plastics (Manufacture & Usage) Amendment Rules have been notified vide S.O.698(E) dated 17^th June, 2003. The salient features include:

       

      • Plastic carry bags defined.
      • Manufacture, use, stock & sale of carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic below 8x12 inches in size (as well as below 20 microns thickness) banned.
      • Registration of units manufacturing plastic carry bags with SPCB made mandatory.

   3. The Fly Ash Notification of 4^th September 1999 has been amended and the amended Notification has been issued on 27^th August, 2003. The salient features include:

       

      • Extending the geographical coverage upto a distance of 100 km from Thermal Power Stations.
      • Responsibility on the construction agencies use fly ash based bricks/products in a time bound manner.
      • Time limits prescribed for State Pollution Control Boards to take decisions on the applications for manufacture of fly ash based bricks/products.
      • Inclusion of fly ash in the guidelines/specifications of road/construction projects.
      • Filling up of low-lying areas with pond ash.

   4. A High Level Committee has been constituted with representatives from concerned Ministries, Technical Institutions and All India Brick and Tile Manufacturers Federation to review the implementation of the provisions of fly ash notification dated September 14, 1999. Besides monitoring the implementation of the provisions of the Notification, the Committee will also provide policy guidance on utilization of fly ash in various sectors/developmental activities including incentives/disincentives required therefor.

      Terms of Reference of the High Power Committee

4. International Conventions/Protocols

   1. Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.

      India is a signatory to the Basel Convention, which requires countries to ensure that hazardous wastes and hazardous recyclable materials are managed in an environmentally sound manner. The Ministry participates in various meetings of the Basel Convention regularly. India is also actively involved in the work relating to preparation of technical guidelines for environmentally sound management of ship-breaking along with Norway and the Netherlands under this convention.

   2. Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals & Pesticides in International Trade.

      The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals & Pesticides in international Trade was adopted at the Conference of Plenipotentiaries at Rotterdam in 1998.

   3. Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

      India has signed the Stockholm Convention on POPs in May 2002. The Convention seeks to eliminate production, use, import & export of 12 identified POPs namely Adrin, Endrin, Dieldrin, Chlordane, DDT, Heptachlor, Toxaphene, Mirex, Hexachlorobenzene, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Dioxins and Furans. A Preliminary Enabling Activity Project to prepare National Implementation Plan (NIP) for POPs has been assigned to ITRC in association with UNIDO under GEF assistance.

5. National Hazardous Waste Information System (NHWIS)

6. Chemical Accident Information Reporting System

7. Legislations related to Hazardous Substances Management

8. Accident Reporting Procedure (HSMD) [html], [pdf], and [word]