Chemical industry is one of the important sectors of the economy of India and it plays an active role in industrial output and employment. Chemical industries in India stand 6th in the world and have experienced positive growth over the years. Nevertheless, as it extends further, the sector will continue to experience alarming environmental and safety problems because of the chemical substances associated with the production processes. Therefore as a solution to these challenges, a number of regulations have been put in place by the government of India as well as international treaties to prevent these issues and encourage sustainable development.
Key Environmental and Safety Regulations and International Agreements
1. Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)
India is also a member of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) which is a treaty forbidding the development, production, stockpiling & use of chemical weapons, and which also provides for destruction of existent chemical arsenals. India signed the CWC treaty in 1997 and has domestic obligations under the convention through the Chemical Weapons Convention Act of 2000. This legislation governs aspects related to the importation, exportation, manufacture, and application of any agent that is considered to be toxic which may have hostile purposes. Compliance of India with CWC treaty not only showcases India’s commitment towards disarmament around the globe but also encourages safe and lawful practices regarding the use and management of toxic substances in the territories of Member States.
2. Rotterdam Convention
The Rotterdam Convention is a treaty that has been put in place with the intent to provide shared responsibility and effective cooperation in the international trade of hazardous materials and pesticides. India joined the treaty in the year 2006. The treaty entails the provision of information on harmful chemicals to member countries, and the countries are free to decide whether or not to permit their importation. Under this convention, India’s Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals is the Designated National Authority for Industrial Chemicals. In this way, by observing the Rotterdam Convention, India seeks to regulate the trade of hazardous substances in the least harmful way to the environment and people.
Join With Us
3. Stockholm Convention
India is also a party to the Stockholm Convention, which was ratified in 2006, that aims at eliminating or restricting Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). These are chemicals, which because of their toxic properties, persistence in the environment and tendency to bioaccumulate in the food chain, pose a risk to humanity, and the environment as well. The convention states that “member states” should gradually reduce or prohibit the usage and production of certain persisting organic pollutants like DDT, PCB which have been used for many years in primary agriculture and commerce. To accomplish this goal, India has created strategy papers which seek to eliminate these pollutants in the environment and engage with other countries so that they can properly dispose of such toxins.
4. Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment, and Technologies (SCOMET)
The SCOMET regulation is a segment of India However, it is also a contrived export control list which is concerned with the extradition of specific products and technologies that have both military and civilian or commercial uses, including chemicals with potential military applications. The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals is also a key player in managing the export application for these substances. This alleviation helps to curb the application of these chemicals for harmful causes thus promoting peace in India’s chemical trade.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an essential part of the regulatory mechanism for large-scale industrial projects in India, particularly in the chemical industry. Organizations conduct EIAs to identify the adverse environmental effects of a project before implementation and to develop strategies to avoid or minimize them. We can best understand the implementation of EIAs in India through the functioning of the Odisha Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR). Currently, authorities are undertaking a phase ii EIA in this region to determine how petrochemical industries adversely affect the local environment, water bodies, air, and the health of the local population. The assessment aims to suggest ways to reduce the negative environmental consequences resulting from the economic activities in the said region.
Industrial projects require environmental clearances from central and state agencies in addition to the EIA. These clearances enforce the environmental laws that apply to the particular industry, including the 1986 Environmental Protection Act (EPA). The EPA establishes authority over emission, effluents, and toxic wastes. Chemical industries must observe this Act to function without inflicting permanent harm to the environment.
Safety Regulations and Worker Protection
One of the priorities in the chemical industry, as in any other manufacturing industry, is the protection of the health and lives of workers. The excerpt does not mention particular safety measures, however, it is clear that India’s involvement in global treaties such as the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Rotterdam Convention is concerned with improving practices on the safe handling as well as storage and transportation of dangerous products. In addition, national legislations such as the Factories Act of 1948 help cover some aspects of worker safety in industrial establishments, including chemical factories in India.
Encouraging occupational health and safety is the proposing and finalization of the Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Code of 2020. It incorporates, modernizes and substitutes a number of earlier laws associated with labor stressing especially the importance of a healthy interior environment in any industry that handles toxic substances. This law compels employers to take appropriate safety precautions, provide chemical safety training on a regular basis and furnish the employees with safety devices to counter exposure to health hazards.
Challenges in the Chemical Industry
Nonetheless, in spite of such rigorous regulations, the chemical industry in India continues to bear considerable threats to the environment and safety of its people. Amongst the primary concerns is the fact that chemical waste from such industrial processes is often inappropriately dumped, leading to contamination of soil and water resources. There have also been cases of lakes and rivers infested with poisonous chemicals, which have resulted in severe destruction of the environment and illnesses to the communities living around it. The timely observance of obligations and the efficient control of activities by the relevant bodies is very important to curb these problems.
Another factor is that it becomes more challenging to uphold environmental standards as the sector grows. The sector recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.61% for the period between the year 2017-18 and the year 2021-22, therefore as demand for chemicals increases, the growth of this sector will encourage more environmental degradation and safety risks. The industry needs to prioritize implementing sustainable practices, improving waste management, and investing in cleaner technologies to minimize its environmental impact.
Read our Book Here: The Complete Technology Book on Chemical Industries
Future Outlook
The chemical industry in India can only dream of a bright and advanced possible future if it finds a way to sustain economic growth on a continued basis and practice good morals along the way. We commend the government for encouraging the establishment of Petroleum, Chemical and Petro-Chemical Investment Regions (PCPIRs) as they aim to create clusters that are integrated and clean. These areas focus on environmental clearances, EIA, functional & operational hospitals and cause no harm to the environment in their growth processes.
India’s stance to international treaties coupled with its internal laws is quite a good recipe for environmental conservation in the chemical sector. But in future, the major aspect will be ensuring that there is compliance, monitoring and even change as the industry matures. The aging workforce and talent shortages present a growing challenge for the industry as well. Bright and positive approaches such as green chemistry and clean production, which address the environmental damage aspect of the chemical industry, are fundamental in the future reduction of the chemical industry impact on the environment.
Conclusion
The Indian chemical industry is at a turning point where providing for such growth has to come with a cap on certain regulations on the environment and safety. As already mentioned, the area is governed by a variety of local and international rules that seek to minimize the impact of the industry on the environment, as well as to protect the workers in the sector. There are, however, more serious issues such as lack of proper waste handling/disposal facilities and the challenges in implementing waste management regulations. All the same, the industry has to embrace practices that are sustainable, commit resources for the acquisition of less polluting equipment and processes and comply with all regulations to protect the environment and the health of the workers and the public as well.
