Question : Import of Scrap

(a) whether import of scrap is allowed in India and if so, the provisions thereof;
(b) whether the provisions for importing scrap in India are being violated and if so, the number of times the said provisions have been violated during the last three years;
(c) the reaction of the Government in this regard;
(d) the action taken so far against the officers responsible for the said violation;
(e) whether pollution is increasing in India due to import of scrap and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto; and
(f) the remedial measures taken by the Government in this regard?

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

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) Import of metal scrap is allowed in India, and is governed under the provisions of Schedule III Part D of Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008.

(b) to (d) As per Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008, import of metal scrap in violation of the rules are dealt in accordance with rule 17. Ministry has not received any report on violation of the rules from Custom authorities in so far as the import of metal scrap is concerned in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

(e) & (f) Industrial processing of metal scraps is one of the recognized industrial activities for recovery of valuable resources from scrap and their conversion into downstream products. All such industrial units are subjected to pollution control norms for emission and effluent discharge and are governed under Environmental Protection Act, 1986, Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 through the instruments of environmental clearance and consent to establish and operate.

The Ministry has published draft Hazardous and other Waste (Management and Transboundary) Rules, 2015 with an aim to simplify and decentralize the import procedures of the specified wastes. Under the proposed Rules the user industries intending to import the specified industrial inputs will not be required to take separate authorisation rather the Consents to Operate granted by State Pollution Control Boards will be sufficient authority. The proposal is to decentralize the import approval at SPCB level on the basis of approved standard operating procedure by the Ministry. The proposed amendment prohibits the import of household wastes, solid plastic waste, waste electronic assembly scraps and tyres for direct reuse.


*****