Bring on the penalties

Recently at an United Nations Environment Programme international meeting on developing a strategic approach to chemical safety, an NGO made...

Recently at an United Nations Environment Programme international meeting on developing a strategic approach to chemical safety, an NGO made the point that the chemicals industry should pay for the damage it causes. The global chemicals industry has a turnover of over 1.7 trillion US dollars from their own figures. A mere one tenth of a per cent of this, which would amount to 1.5 billion, will be adequate to address the problems of health and environment caused by chemicals. This is a sustainable way of funding chemicals safety. It puts into practice the principle of 8216;8216;polluter pays8217;8217; agreed to by countries in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit.

Last month, the draft Indian National Environmental Policy made a case for internalising environmental costs and polluter pays8217; as a way of integrating economic growth with sustainable development. The Indian chemicals industry has an annual turnover of over 28 billion. Should they not be paying towards ensuring that chemicals are safe? There is no reason why governments should be diverting funds from other public health issues.

Over the past 30 years, the chemicals industry in India has positioned itself as a key partner in development. It is part of both the products we use, such as plastics, paints, disinfectants, food preservatives as well as our waste, such as from households and hospitals. The impact of these on our health is only now being discovered. The tragedy of Bhopal, the contamination of our rivers, endosulphan problem in Kerala, air contamination from waste disposal 8212; all have a heavy cost. Some say this can exceed over 2 per cent of GDP, and its rectification an equal amount. Four per cent of GDP is hardly an affordable cost for governments. Meanwhile, chemicals are affecting pregnant women and young children.

While the Indian chemicals industry wishes to access global markets, it does not want to follow any of the norms. India is not allowed to ratify significant international regimes of chemicals management such as the Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants or the Basel Ban to stop the dumping of hazardous wastes in India. The global industry which comes to India also does not hesitate to make hay in this lax environment.

It is time to examine and implement systems such as extended producer responsibility and polluter pays, both of which are part of our 8216;8216;official8217;8217; thinking on the environment. It is time the industry 8216;8216;pays up8217;8217; for access to markets. And for the government to do what it says!