Lok Sabha Question No. 2546 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-06
Subject: Climate Change
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Sudheer Gupta, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Shrirang Appa Barne, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2546

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.03.2020

## Prohibition of Hydro-Chloroflurocarbons

2546.   SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIV RAO MANDLIK:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  decided  to  completely  phase  out  the  use  of  HydroChlorofluorocarbons (HCFC-1416) one of the most potent ozone depleting chemicals and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government had issued a notification to prohibit HCFC-1416 under Ozone Depleting  Substances  (Regulation  and  Control)  Amendment  Rules,  2019  issued  under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has made any alternate arrangements for the foam manufacturers, one of the main users of HCFC-1416 and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether several chemicals which are banned in foreign countries are still being used in the country and if so, the details of such chemicals and the reasons for the same; and
- (e) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to ban such chemicals?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO )

(a) to  (e): India had proactively taken on the complete phase out of HCFC 141 b, which is a chemical used by foam manufacturing enterprises, as on  1.1.2020.  As part of the Ministry's commitment  for  moving  towards  environment  friendly  technologies,  the  Ozone  Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Amendment  Rules, 2019 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, were notified  [S.O. 4724 (E) dated 31 st December 2019] in the Gazette of India, inter alia prohibiting the issuance of import license for HCFC-141b from 1 st January, 2020. With notification of Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Amendment Rules,  2019,  prohibiting  the  import  of  HCFC  141  b,  the  country  has  completely  phased  out HCFC  141b  in  the  country.  The  use  of  HCFC-141b  in  all  types  of  foam  manufacturing  is prohibited from 1.1.2020 under the earlier notified Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Amendment Rules, 2014. This is in line with the commitment of the country under the Montreal Protocol for Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

The Ministry is providing technical and financial assistance to foam manufacturing enterprises under  Hydrochlorofluorocarbons  (HCFCs)  Phase  out  Management  Plan  (HPMP),  through UNDP, the lead implementing agency for ongoing HPMP, in order to help them transition to non-HCFC 141b and low Global Warming Potential technologies. Funds for the implementation of HPMP are provided by the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of Montreal Protocol to developing  countries  including  India,  for  achieving  compliance  targets  under  the  Montreal Protocol.

Noting the challenges faced by the foam manufacturing enterprises in technology conversion, the Ministry  has  entered  into  an  Agreement  with  the  Central  Institute  of  Plastics  Engineering  & Technology,  Department  of  Chemicals  &  Petrochemicals,  to  facilitate  and  hand-holding  foam manufacturing enterprises.  As  part  of  assistance  made  available  to  the  enterprises,  technology workshops,  field  trials,  on-site  demonstration  and  support,  practical  hands  on  training  and product  validation  are  being  provided.  Already  enterprises  assisted  for  stabilizing  alternative technologies have been able to move towards adoption of alternatives at commercial scale.

As per the Montreal Protocol compliance requirement, India had to ban the import and use of HCFC-141b, pure or contained in pre-blended polyols no later than 1 January 2020 in all foam manufacturing sectors. The ban has been imposed vide Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Amendment Rules, 2014 and 2019.

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