Gujarat's chemical units dread draft hazardous waste rule
Almost 2,500 chemical units may be in deep trouble after the govt had proposed to widen the scope of law governing the hazardous substance in industry.
By Parag Dave, TNN |
AHMEDABAD: What’s in a word? Ask owners of scores of chemical units across Gujarat who are worried that insertion of one word in the proposed draft rule may prove to be their nemesis.
Almost 2,500 chemical units may be in deep trouble after the Union ministry of environment and forest had proposed to widen the scope of law governing the hazardous substance in industry. The government is mulling on the proposed draft on ‘Hazardous Material (Management, Handling and Transboundry Management) Rule-2007' (HazMat Rule — 2007).
The HazMat Rule-2007, currently a draft notification, would soon become a law, subject to the approval of Parliament.
At present, the hazardous substances of the chemical industry are governed by the Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rule – 2003. The issue came to the notice of the chemical industry after the ministry approached the industries concerned to provide suggestions and objection, if any. Sources from the industry and Gujarat Pollution Control Board told ET that chemical industries from Gujarat have strongly objected to the insertion of the word ‘material‘ by replacing ‘waste’ from the Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rule - 2003.
The chemical industry strongly believes that the inclusion of the word ‘material’ would ruin their business prospects. The Centre intends to replace the Hazardous Waste (M&H) Rule-2003 with new law HazMat Rule-2007. It would include not only the waste material, but also the raw material (inputs), processes and finished products.
Chairman of GPCB, CL Mina, said: “The proposed draft notification is under consideration and is yet to be finalised after an in-depth discussion and study been carried out by various quarters of the concerned parties.”
Voicing chemical industry’s concern, Shailesh Patwari, president of Naroda Industries Association, said: “If the notification is enforced by the lawmakers in this form, it would affect more than 2,500 chemical units across the state.”
Almost 2,500 chemical units may be in deep trouble after the Union ministry of environment and forest had proposed to widen the scope of law governing the hazardous substance in industry. The government is mulling on the proposed draft on ‘Hazardous Material (Management, Handling and Transboundry Management) Rule-2007' (HazMat Rule — 2007).
The HazMat Rule-2007, currently a draft notification, would soon become a law, subject to the approval of Parliament.
At present, the hazardous substances of the chemical industry are governed by the Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rule – 2003. The issue came to the notice of the chemical industry after the ministry approached the industries concerned to provide suggestions and objection, if any. Sources from the industry and Gujarat Pollution Control Board told ET that chemical industries from Gujarat have strongly objected to the insertion of the word ‘material‘ by replacing ‘waste’ from the Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rule - 2003.
The chemical industry strongly believes that the inclusion of the word ‘material’ would ruin their business prospects. The Centre intends to replace the Hazardous Waste (M&H) Rule-2003 with new law HazMat Rule-2007. It would include not only the waste material, but also the raw material (inputs), processes and finished products.
Chairman of GPCB, CL Mina, said: “The proposed draft notification is under consideration and is yet to be finalised after an in-depth discussion and study been carried out by various quarters of the concerned parties.”
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Voicing chemical industry’s concern, Shailesh Patwari, president of Naroda Industries Association, said: “If the notification is enforced by the lawmakers in this form, it would affect more than 2,500 chemical units across the state.”
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