Lok Sabha Question No. 1804 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-27
Subject: Pollution by Pharmaceutical Industries
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: VIJAY KUMAR S.R., T. RADHAKRISHNAN, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, S. RAJENDRAN, SUDHEER GUPTA, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOKSABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1804

TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2018

## Pollution by Pharmaceutical Industries

## 1804.   SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI S. RAJENDRAN:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  pharmaceutical  industries  are  one  of  the  grossly  polluting  industries  in  the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the presence of antibiotic residue in high concentrations in the environment can lead to the development of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) pathogens;
- (c) if  so,  the details thereof along with the corrective measures taken/being taken by the Government in this regard;
- (d) whether the Central Pollution Control Board was tasked with framing the standards for pharma antibiotic residue, if so, the details thereof and the time by which it is likely to be framed; and
- (e) whether  World  Health  Organisation  has  also called for  better  management  of pharmaceutical waste and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) Pharmaceutical industries are one of the grossly polluting industries and are covered under  17  category  of  highly  polluting  industries.  As  per  data  available  with  the  Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 676 pharmaceutical manufacturing units are in operation in the country.

(b) & (c)  Several global studies have indicated that the presence of antibiotic residue in high concentrations in the environment can lead to the development of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). The Government has developed the National Action Plan on AMR for the country with the objective to combat AMR in various sectors, including environment.

(d) CPCB  has  been  tasked  with  developing  of  standards  for  antibiotic  residues  in pharmaceutical industrial effluents as per the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Draft standards in this regard have been framed by CPCB.

(e) World Health Organization has released 'Guidelines for Safe Disposal of Unwanted Pharmaceuticals in and after Emergencies' in 1999 to provide advice on the implementation of safe disposal of unusable pharmaceuticals in emergencies. The guidelines describe, inter alia ,  a  number  of  methods  for  safe  disposal  of  pharmaceuticals  which  help  in  minimizing risks to public health and the environment.

The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has  notified  the  BioMedical  Waste  (Management  and  Handling)  Rules,  2016,  which  specify  the  methods  of segregation,  collection,  treatment,  processing  and  disposal  of  various  bio-medical  wastes, including pharmaceutical waste like antibiotics, cytotoxic drugs, etc.

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