Lok Sabha Question No. 239 (STARRED), answered on 2016-05-10
Subject: Import of Scrap
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY, PRATAPRAO GANPATRAO JADHAV

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. *239

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.05.2016

## Import of Scrap

## *239.   SHRI RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY: SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  notified  any  rules/regulations  regarding  import  of hazardous waste/materials including scrap into the country;
- (b) if so, the details and objectives thereof;
- (c) the extent to which such regulations have achieved its objectives; and
- (d) whether the Government has any proposal to bring stringent norms/rules in this regard and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a) to (d):  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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Statement referred to in reply to Parts (a) to (d) of the Lok Sabha Starred     Question No  239  for  answer  on  10 th May,  2016  regarding  'Import  of  Scrap'  raised  by  SHRI RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY and SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

- (a) to (d) Import  and  export  of  hazardous  waste  including  metal  scrap  was  being regulated under Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008. These rules have been comprehensively revised and superseded by new Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 notified in April, 2016.  These rules aim at environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes  and  regulates  transboundary  movement  of  prescribed  hazardous  and other wastes.

The international trade of hazardous and other waste including metal scrap in the country is governed in line with the provisions of Rule 11 to Rule 15 of Hazardous  and  Other  Wastes  (Management  and  Transboundary  Movement) Rules, 2016.  The import of wastes and scraps is permitted for reuse, recycling and reprocessing purpose only and not for disposal.  The import of wastes like waste  plastic,  used  tyre  for  direct  re-use  purpose,  critical  care  medical equipment,  electronic  scrap  with  hazardous  constituents,  household  waste, biomedical  waste  and  chemical  waste  in  solvent  form  is  prohibited.    The transboundary movement of hazardous waste is enforced through Department of Customs for effective implementation of the Rules.  Salient features of the Hazardous  and  Other  Wastes  (Management  and  Transboundary  Movement) Rules, 2016 are given below:

- i. The ambit of the Rules has been expanded by including 'Other Wastes'.
- ii. Permission for handling such wastes in the form of Authorization  and  Registration  requirement  is  replaced  with one permission i.e. authorization.
- iii. The basic necessity of infrastructure to safeguard the environment  and health has been prescribed as Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) specific to waste type.
- iv. Waste  Management  hierarchy  in  the  sequence  of  priority  as prevention, minimization, reuse, recycling, recovery, coprocessing; and safe disposal being incorporated.
- v. Responsibilities of State Government  for environmentally sound  management of  hazardous  and  other  wastes  have  been introduced fro skill development, health safety etc.
- vi. Various Schedules have been reviewed as per international best practices.
- vii. The  list  of  waste  prohibited  for  import  has  been  revised  by inclusion  of  waste  edible  fats,  household  waste,  critical  care medical equipment, tyres for direct re-use purpose, solid plastic wastes,  waste  electrical  and  electronic  assemblies  scrap  and other chemical wastes especially in solvent form.

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