India has released a draft of the National Chemicals Management Plan for 2012, with the Chemicals and Fertilizers Authority calling for legislation similar to the EU's REACH Regulation to streamline existing chemical-related regulations while improving the safety of chemical use.
A draft national chemical management policy was submitted by the Chemicals and Petrochemicals Authority of India at the end of March. The draft outlines the objectives and methods to enhance the competitiveness of India's chemical industry, or to consolidate the current chemical industry regulations under different authorities in India.
India has noted that the EU's REACH regulation has replaced nearly 40 different related laws, and that Australia, Canada, Japan, and China have also adopted similar policies to consolidate their position and competitiveness in the global market. Therefore, India also plans to implement a similar chemical management strategy.
In addition to merging existing regulations, the policy draft identifies the following gaps in India's regulatory framework: Substance registration; Preparation of a national chemical list; Restrictions on toxic and hazardous substances; Classification and labelling sub-standards; Transport classification.
Although India had previously considered legislating on the above points, they have not yet been formally incorporated into regulations due to complex technical issues and the need for consistency in the law.
The Indian Chemicals and Fertilizers Authority (ICA) has indicated the need to establish a National Chemical Centre (NCC) to regulate the implementation of draft regulations. This includes overseeing international trade practices, identifying opportunities for innovation and technology development, disseminating information on toxic chemicals, and creating and maintaining a chemical inventory that includes production data, consumption data, and toxicological properties. Another entity to be established is the Chemical Standards Development Organization (CSDO) to promote consensus on national chemical management, including safety standards.
Sources: Chemical watch (2012-04-11)
India's 2012 Chemicals Management Plan (Draft):http://chemicals.nic.in/DNCP_2012.htm
