Javadekar asks industries to self regulate pollution

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday stressed on the need for self-regulation to combat air pollution while asking industries to keep their pollution load in check.

In his address at the 'ICC Sustainability Conclave 2019: Chemical Industry in India-Environmentally Sound Management' held here, the minister said if pollution load of industries does not increase, they need not come to the ministries for permissions/clearances again.

He urged the industries to exercise responsible care and extended producer responsibility saying the government was ready to give freedom to industries if they show environmentally responsible behaviour.

"If your pollution load does not increase, you need not come to us again for permissions. With responsible care, there will be responsible for freedom. There has to responsible care and self-regulatory mechanism as a country won't progress without it," Javadekar said, asserting that he is not in favour of government ruling everything.

Giving an example of self-regulation, Javadekar said, "Children across the country have shown self-regulation as there were 75 per cent less firecrackers this time. It is a very big success."

Speaking about plastic waste management, he said, there is a need for responsible behaviour in the collection and recycling of plastic waste.

"Plastic is not being collected which is why it is not sent for recycling. There is a need for responsible behaviour."

"Per se, plastic is an asset, not a liability. But we never create an effective mechanism to collect plastic waste. This is an example of irresponsible care. Therefore, there is no extended producer responsibility."

"In electronic waste management, we are a country with 120 crore mobile phones which have an average life of two years. Every year we are doing away with 60 crore mobile phones. The short-sightedness is the problem. Waste management is Swachh Bharat Part 2," Javadekar said.

The event was also attended by Renata Lok-Dessallien, UN Resident Coordinator for India, who spoke on the menace of plastic waste in the country saying something created for the wellbeing of people was now poisoning the environment.

Also present at the event were Indian Chemical Council (ICC) President Vijay Shankar, ICC Sustainability Expert Committee Chairman Ravi Kapoor and several other industrialists.