Lok Sabha Question No. 2238 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-01
Subject: Safe Disposal of Hazardous Chemicals
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Shri Aditya Yadav

## 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.

down  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. Based  on  the  annual  inventory  submitted  by  State  Pollution  Control  Boards/ Pollution  Control  Committees,  about  10.06  million  MT  of  hazardous  waste  has  been

(VI) recycled/ utilized/co-processed during the year 2023-24.

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