ICMA Cautions Govt Against Signing POPs Agreement

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

Mumbai, April 25: The Indian Chemical Manufacturers Association (ICMA) has renewed its appeal to the government to dissociate itself from the international treaty on persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

There is tremendous pressure on the Indian government to sign the POP treaty, particularly from the European Union (EU) and Canada. The two are the high-profile signatories to the treaty. Over 50 nations have already signed the POP treaty. The date of scheduled implementation is on May 17, 2004. Interestingly, the US has so far not accepted the treaty.

Association officials strongly hold that if the government were to give in to this pressure and accept the POP treaty, the domestic industry as a whole would be adversely impacted.

International treaties expert committee of ICMA co-chairman, S Ganesan, said: “The entire industry is against the treaty, which will severely impact not only chemicals but also agricultural sector, since several pesticides are also included.” Industry players are still unaware about the government’s stand on the controversial persistent organic pollutants (POPs) treaty. The industry feels that the POP treaty, if accepted without the consent of the industry players, would be detrimental to the industry’s future prospects.

As per the treaty, production of several chemicals including pesticides, will be banned, and if some country or producers’ in the country wants to produce then it can allow only for restricted purpose and that too with stringent formalities to be observed for producing in the domestic tariff area (DTA).

POPs treaty covers pesticides (aldrin, chlordane, dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane, dieldrin, diendrin, heptachlor, hexacholorbenze, mirex and toxaphene). This treaty also includes industrial chemical like polychlorinated biphenyls and biproducts like dioxins and furans.

The POP treaty was taken up under the aegies of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) during 1995. The governing council of UNEP had directed several international agencies to begin evaluating 12 substances - all man-made organic chemicals considered to be hazardous, persisting for long in the environment and capable of moving long distances.

In this regard, ICMA has already written a letter and discussed related issues to the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers, advocating alert.

The ICMA has been at a loss to understand why the government has not rejected the treaty. Once India accedes to the treaty, it is very difficult to withdraw.

“ICMA strongly opposes such attempts against the Indian chemical industry,” said Mr Ganesan, and added that, “it is right time for the government to summarily reject the same, without any hesistance.”