**Executive Summary:**
This document provides the Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers' response to a parliamentary question regarding the safe disposal of hazardous chemicals. It outlines existing regulations, initiatives, and amendments to promote waste minimization, recycling, reuse, and environmentally sound disposal practices within the chemical industry. The response highlights the Hazardous and Other Wastes Management (HOWM) Rules, Plastic Waste Management Rules, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks. Data from the year 2023-24 is referenced.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Regulatory Framework:**
* The Hazardous and Other Wastes Management (HOWM) Rules, 2016, ensure safe storage, treatment, and disposal of hazardous and other wastes.
* Plastic Waste Management Rules and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework address packaging plastic waste.
* The Petroleum Act, 1934, and Inflammable Substance Act, 1952, govern hazardous chemicals like petroleum derivatives.
* The Explosives Act, 1884, addresses hazardous chemicals such as explosives.
* **Waste Management Hierarchy:**
* HOWM Rules, 2016, prioritize waste management steps: prevention, minimization, reuse, recycling, recovery, utilization (including co-processing), and safe disposal.
* **Recycling and Utilization Guidelines:**
* The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued guidelines for environmentally sound recycling of 10 types of hazardous wastes.
* CPCB guidelines also exist for pre-processing and co-processing of hazardous and other wastes in cement plants.
* CPCB has developed 118 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for utilizing 83 categories of hazardous wastes.
* **Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Used Oil:**
* The 2023 amendment to HOWM Rules brings Used Oil under the EPR regime.
* Producers and importers of Used Oil are responsible for meeting recycling targets through registered recyclers.
* Environmental Compensation is stipulated for non-compliance.
* **Recycling/Utilization Statistics:**
* Approximately 10.06 million MT of hazardous waste was recycled/utilized/co-processed in 2023-24.
**Impact Analysis:**
**State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees:**
* *Impact:* Required to submit annual inventories of hazardous waste management.
* *Action Required:* Continue to collect and report annual inventory data.
**Producers of Base and Lubrication Oil and Importers of Used Oil:**
* *Impact:* Subject to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Used Oil.
* *Action Required:* Meet recycling targets through registered recyclers and comply with EPR regulations, including potential environmental compensation for non-compliance.
**Recyclers and Collection Agents:**
* *Impact:* Involved in meeting recycling targets through environmentally sound management of Used Oil.
* *Action Required:* Ensure handling and management of Used Oil follows EPR regulations, including potential environmental compensation for non-compliance.
**Chemical Industry:**
* *Impact:* Subject to regulations under the Petroleum Act, Inflammable Substances Act and Explosives Act in relation to hazardous chemicals.
* *Action Required:* Prevent waste generation, promote waste minimisation, encourage recycling and reuse and ensure safe handling of Hazardous Chemicals as per the regulations.
Key Entities Referenced
Circular Economy Mission: A mission that the implementation of EPR regulation aligns with, by ensuring systematic collection, scrapping, and recycling of Used Oil.
Hazardous and Other Wastes Management and Transboundary Movement Rules, 2016: A set of rules notified by the Government of India to ensure the safe storage, treatment, and disposal of hazardous and other wastes in an environmentally sound manner.
Plastic Waste Management Rules: Rules notified by the Government regarding plastic waste management.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): A framework introduced under the Plastic Waste Management Rules for dealing with packaging plastic waste and also for Used Oil.
Petroleum Act, 1934: An act concerning hazardous chemicals such as petroleum and its derivatives.
Inflammable Substance Act, 1952: An act concerning hazardous chemicals such as inflammable substances.
Explosives Act, 1884: An act concerning hazardous chemicals such as explosives.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB): An organization that has prepared guidelines for environmentally sound recycling of hazardous wastes and preprocessing/coprocessing of hazardous and other wastes in cement plants.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICALS AND PETROCHEMICALS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No - 2238
ANSWERED ON- 01/08/2025
SAFE DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS
2238. SHRI ADITYA YADAV:
Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken note of the need to focus on preventing waste
generation, promoting waste minimization encouraging recycling and reuse and ensuring
safe disposal of hazardous chemicals;
(b) if so, the details of the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in this
regard considering the fund that it involves implementing stricter regulations investing in
infrastructure, and promoting sustainable practices within the chemical industry; and
(c) if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a) to (c) :
(I) The Government of India has notified the Hazardous and Other Wastes
(Management and Transboundary Movement) [HOWM] Rules, 2016 to ensure safe storage,
treatment and disposal of hazardous and other wastes in an environmentally sound manner
without causing adverse effect to environment and human health. For the plastic waste,
Government has notified Plastic Waste Management Rules and Extended Producer
Responsibility (EPR) framework has been introduced under these rules for dealing with
packaging plastic waste. As regards hazardous chemicals such as Petroleum and its
derivatives; preventing waste generation, promoting waste minimization, encouraging
recycling and reuse and safe handling of Hazardous Chemicals is as per Petroleum Act,
1934, Inflammable Substance Act, 1952 and provisions of rules framed therein. As regards
hazardous chemicals such as explosives; preventing waste generation, promoting waste
minimization and safe handling of Hazardous Chemicals is as per Explosives Act, 1884
and provisions of rules framed therein.
(II). To further improve waste management practices, provisions have been laiddown under HOWM Rules, 2016 to follow the waste management hierarchy steps i.e.
prevention; minimization; reuse; recycling; recovery; utilization including co-processing
and safe disposal through incineration or secured landfilling.
(III) In order to encourage recycling/utilization of commonly recyclable hazardous
wastes (listed under Schedule-IV of HOWM Rules, 2016) in an environmentally sound
manner, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has prepared guidelines, titled -
“Environmentally sound recycling of hazardous wastes” for 10 types of hazardous
wastes. Further, for the utilization of hazardous and other wastes in cement kiln, CPCB has
prepared guidelines titled - “Pre-processing and Co-processing of hazardous and other
wastes in cement plants”.
(IV) Apart from above, for utilization of hazardous and other wastes as a resource or for
any other use, CPCB has developed 118 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for
utilization of 83 categories of hazardous wastes, which facilitates utilization of these
types of wastes as inputs by downstream industry promoting their reuse/ recycling and
thereby promoting circular economy.
(V) Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement)
Rules have been amended in 2023, as a result of which, a new initiative has been taken
to bring ‘Used Oil’ under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime. The said
Rules promote circular economy and outline the responsibility on producers of Base and
Lubrication oil and importers of ‘Used Oil’ for meeting recycling targets only through
registered recyclers to ensure environmentally sound management of ‘Used Oil’. The
implementation of aforesaid EPR regulation, strengthens circular economy principles by
ensuring systematic collection, scrapping, and recycling of Used Oil. It not only facilitates
resource conservation but also promotes formalization of the informal sector and
business growth for concerned stake holders contributing to a sustainable recycling
ecosystem aligning with the Circular Economy Mission.
The said rules also stipulate provisions for payment of Environmental Compensation on
part of any Producer, Recycler, Collection agent and Used Oil Importer who fails to
comply with the provisions relating to handling and management of Used Oil in an
environmentally sound manner in terms of these rules, thereby causing loss, damage or
injury to environment or public health.
(VI) Based on the annual inventory submitted by State Pollution Control Boards/
Pollution Control Committees, about 10.06 million MT of hazardous waste has been
recycled/ utilized/co-processed during the year 2023-24.
******