Clearing The Air Under National Clean Air Program
The Minister urged all cities to update their clean action plans on a 100% saturation basis and implement Mission LiFE actions. He also called for the implementation of proposed reforms in areas such as waste management, vehicular pollution, and public awareness to provide better clean air to all.
Comprehensive Charter 2.0 For Water Conservation And Pollution Prevention By Sugar Industries
This charter introduces new specific freshwater consumption targets for sugar industries as part of its efforts to promote water conservation and reduce pollution.. The CPCB has also developed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for sugar mills to assess and monitor their freshwater consumption, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Businesses Face Show Cause Notices For Failure To File EPR Plastic Waste Annual Returns
CPCB has observed that only 9129 PIBOs have submitted annual returns. The notice further lists a total of 3590 entities who have failed to furnish their annual returns for 2022-2023 along with the applicable environmental compensation for each defaulting entity.
Revised Environment Compensation for Violation of Plastic Waste Management Rules
The Environmental Compensation (EC) regime takes into account the cost incurred in managing plastic waste, which is estimated to be approximately Rs. 4000 per ton. To act as a deterrent, a deterrent factor of 2.5 is applied to the calculated EC, resulting in a total levy of Rs. 5000 per ton of plastic waste. The EC factor is inversely proportional to the collection of each category of plastic packaging waste, with higher ECs imposed for lower collection rates.
Electronic Trading and Settlement Platform for Plastic Packaging Operator
CPCB has published the Draft Guidelines for Authorization of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Electronic Trading & Settlement Platform for Plastic Packaging (EPRETPPP) Operator. The EPRETPPP Operator shall provide the platform for trading of EPR Certificates between the various registered entities in accordance with the provisions of EPR Guidelines.
New Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules to Take Effect
The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has notified the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2024, which will come into force on April 1, 2025. The rules aim to regulate the management of waste generated from construction, demolition, remodeling, renovation, and repair activities.
Coal Companies Taking Steps to Mitigate Water Pollution
To prevent water pollution, coal companies are treating pumped-out mine water through sedimentation and conducting regular water quality tests. A substantial amount of treated mine water has been provided for community use over the past five years. Additionally, coal companies are collaborating with state governments to optimize the use of this treated water.
India Takes Strong Steps Against Single-Use Plastics
The Indian government has made significant strides in its fight against single-use plastic pollution. The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021 implemented from July 1, 2022, have led to a ban on several high-littering plastic items, including plastic carry bags below a certain thickness. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEF&CC) has issued a press release dated July 25, 2024, on current status of this ban.
India Disputes Global Air Quality Report, Highlights Domestic Efforts
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has raised concerns over the methodology used in the World Air Quality Report 2023, which ranked Indian cities among the most polluted globally. The ministry emphasized that the report relied heavily on data from low-cost sensors, which are not officially recognized for regulatory purposes by many countries.
Draft Notifications Streamline Pollution Control Consents for Industries
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has proposed new draft notifications to simplify the consent process for certain industries. These notifications aim to reduce duplication and ease the burden on businesses. They propose to exempt certain categories of industries/activities from dual compliance of Consent to Establish (CTE)/Consent to Operate (CTO) and Environmental Clearance (EC).
