Page 6 - Policy brief on persistent organic pollutants in Indian environment: A wake-up call for concerted action
P. 6
Policy Brief
of drought. During the rainy season, the situation can problems to invisible, uncertain, and irreversible global
obviously be very different. Heavy and continual rains risks. REACH is a unique piece of regulation consisting
dilute the glacial source, increase direct atmospheric of four elements: 1) registration (collection of data on
depositions throughout the catchment, and lead to run- chemical use and toxicity), 2) evaluation (examination
off of contaminants stored in the catchment soils. In by governments of the need to add, test, and regulate
addition, the changed flow of the river also mobilizes chemicals), c) authorization of chemicals (mandatory
contaminated sediments, probably leading to a much prior permission to use chemicals of high concern),
higher contribution from diffuse sources compared to and 4) restriction (ban on chemicals that cannot be
that from the melt. Nevertheless, water from glaciers is used safely).
fundamental for many uses including drinking and food
production during a large part of the year in northern Following the example of EU, formulating more
India. These observations point to the importance of effective policies for the management of chemicals in
legacy chemicals as contaminants recycled from melting India will enquire greater interaction between decision-
glaciers and emphasize that the source deserves serious makers and the research community. Cooperation,
consideration when analysing seasonal changes in the communication, and knowledge transfer should greatly
ecosystem and in human exposure to POPs in this region. promote the process of building an integrated framework
for sustainable management of chemical pollution.
In the Gangetic Plain, which accounts for
approximately 7% of the world’s population, surface The risk management approach adopted by REACH
water –including the contribution from glaciers – is and other modern regulations offers an opportunity for
the main source of irrigation and drinking water. The the developing countries that have a sizeable chemical
sources of surface water face many threats including industry, such as India and China, to develop sustainable
contaminants from urban, agricultural, and industrial management of chemicals. In fact, China has already
effluents. Climate change, through melting of glaciers, seized that opportunity: in 2010, the Chinese Ministry of
increases exposure by recycling the pollutants Environmental Protection released a revised version of
accumulated in the ecosystem. Understanding the nexus the provisions on environmental administration of new
between exposure and climatic or hydrological drivers chemical substances that replaced the old regulations.
may help to inform sound management and mitigation The revised regulation is similar in structure to that of
measures required to safeguard environmental and EU’s REACH, and focuses on the development of a
human health in this region. risk-based approach to chemical assessment along with
schemes to identify or screen priority chemicals.
Management of persistent organic pollutants
in other countries Lessons in the management of POPs and other
toxic chemicals vary across geopolitical regions because
India’s approach to the management of harmful of various factors such as the level of socio-political
chemicals, which consists mainly of restrictions and awareness and the stage of economic and industrial
bans, is generally retrospective. The limitations of this development. When POPs were in extensive use in
approach are clear because it does not anticipate any many countries including India and USA, EU had already
uncontrolled risk, such as that from new substances banned these chemicals, and comprehensive and
entering the market, and relies instead on actions taken scientifically updated regulations, such as the REACH,
only after the impacts of those substances on people or for the management of chemicals were already in place.
on the environment become evident—which may take
several decades, as in the case of POPs. India’s approach to the management of such chemicals
is retrospective in that a chemical is not banned unless it
Modern tools for the management of chemicals, is shown to be toxic—by the time a chemical is declared
including the registration, evaluation, and authorization toxic, it is already in the market and has contaminated
of chemicals (REACH), a tool deployed in the European the environment and put people at risk. However,
Union (EU), acknowledge the reality that most of the REACH, which came into force in 2007, represents a
problems from hazardous chemicals have changed proactive approach to regulation based on the principle
from visible and incontestably local (pollutant-specific) of risk management. India certainly needs such type of
regulations in its management plan.
6 JANUARY 2018
of drought. During the rainy season, the situation can problems to invisible, uncertain, and irreversible global
obviously be very different. Heavy and continual rains risks. REACH is a unique piece of regulation consisting
dilute the glacial source, increase direct atmospheric of four elements: 1) registration (collection of data on
depositions throughout the catchment, and lead to run- chemical use and toxicity), 2) evaluation (examination
off of contaminants stored in the catchment soils. In by governments of the need to add, test, and regulate
addition, the changed flow of the river also mobilizes chemicals), c) authorization of chemicals (mandatory
contaminated sediments, probably leading to a much prior permission to use chemicals of high concern),
higher contribution from diffuse sources compared to and 4) restriction (ban on chemicals that cannot be
that from the melt. Nevertheless, water from glaciers is used safely).
fundamental for many uses including drinking and food
production during a large part of the year in northern Following the example of EU, formulating more
India. These observations point to the importance of effective policies for the management of chemicals in
legacy chemicals as contaminants recycled from melting India will enquire greater interaction between decision-
glaciers and emphasize that the source deserves serious makers and the research community. Cooperation,
consideration when analysing seasonal changes in the communication, and knowledge transfer should greatly
ecosystem and in human exposure to POPs in this region. promote the process of building an integrated framework
for sustainable management of chemical pollution.
In the Gangetic Plain, which accounts for
approximately 7% of the world’s population, surface The risk management approach adopted by REACH
water –including the contribution from glaciers – is and other modern regulations offers an opportunity for
the main source of irrigation and drinking water. The the developing countries that have a sizeable chemical
sources of surface water face many threats including industry, such as India and China, to develop sustainable
contaminants from urban, agricultural, and industrial management of chemicals. In fact, China has already
effluents. Climate change, through melting of glaciers, seized that opportunity: in 2010, the Chinese Ministry of
increases exposure by recycling the pollutants Environmental Protection released a revised version of
accumulated in the ecosystem. Understanding the nexus the provisions on environmental administration of new
between exposure and climatic or hydrological drivers chemical substances that replaced the old regulations.
may help to inform sound management and mitigation The revised regulation is similar in structure to that of
measures required to safeguard environmental and EU’s REACH, and focuses on the development of a
human health in this region. risk-based approach to chemical assessment along with
schemes to identify or screen priority chemicals.
Management of persistent organic pollutants
in other countries Lessons in the management of POPs and other
toxic chemicals vary across geopolitical regions because
India’s approach to the management of harmful of various factors such as the level of socio-political
chemicals, which consists mainly of restrictions and awareness and the stage of economic and industrial
bans, is generally retrospective. The limitations of this development. When POPs were in extensive use in
approach are clear because it does not anticipate any many countries including India and USA, EU had already
uncontrolled risk, such as that from new substances banned these chemicals, and comprehensive and
entering the market, and relies instead on actions taken scientifically updated regulations, such as the REACH,
only after the impacts of those substances on people or for the management of chemicals were already in place.
on the environment become evident—which may take
several decades, as in the case of POPs. India’s approach to the management of such chemicals
is retrospective in that a chemical is not banned unless it
Modern tools for the management of chemicals, is shown to be toxic—by the time a chemical is declared
including the registration, evaluation, and authorization toxic, it is already in the market and has contaminated
of chemicals (REACH), a tool deployed in the European the environment and put people at risk. However,
Union (EU), acknowledge the reality that most of the REACH, which came into force in 2007, represents a
problems from hazardous chemicals have changed proactive approach to regulation based on the principle
from visible and incontestably local (pollutant-specific) of risk management. India certainly needs such type of
regulations in its management plan.
6 JANUARY 2018
