Asbestos and Environment Protection (Management of Contaminated Sites) Rules

The contaminated sites identified under Environment Protection (Management of Contaminated Sites) Rules, 2025 under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 are limited to only 189 hazardous chemicals including hazardous asbestos. The Rules  have missed the opportunity to provide an inventory of all the chemicals and minerals in general and hazardous chemicals and minerals which are used/emitted/transported in the country. There is a compelling scientific logic for the environment ministry to draw lessons from inventories in China, Europe and USA and prepare an inventory of all the chemicals and minerals used/emitted/transported in the country. Now that the new Rules reiterate the hazardous nature of asbestos. The 21st meeting of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC) of the Rotterdam Convention on the prior informed consent procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade which was held during 23-26 September 2025 in Rome. But India is yet to act as per CRC's recommendation for inclusion of white chrysotile asbestos in the category of industrial chemicals in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention, which is pending since 2006. 

Coincidentally, Dinesh Runiwal, a scientist in the Hazardous Substances Management Division in the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF & CC) is a member of the CRC until April 30, 2028. He replaced Amit Vashishtha, a scientist with the Hazardous Substances Management Division of MoEF & CC. Runiwal is also the Member Secretary of the 14 member-Expert Appraisal Committee (Industry-1 Sector) under Environment Impact Assessment Division under the provisions of EIA Notification, 2006. This Committee undertakes appraisal of Asbestos Milling and Asbestos Products. There appears to be a conflict-of-interest in his dual role. In his latter role he is part of the Expert Appraisal Committee which grants environmental clearance to plants of Asbestos Milling and Asbestos Products. In his former role he is part of the CRC which has recommended inclusion of chrysotile asbestos in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention which includes pesticides and industrial chemicals that have been banned or severely restricted for health or environmental reasons by two or more Parties and which the Conference of the Parties has decided to subject to the PIC procedure. Can Runiwal do justice to both the roles? 

In order to empower the environment ministry, the environment minister should be included in the 11-member Prime Minister headed Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and 12-member Cabinet Committee on lnvestment and Growth.which are the key committees which end up providing clearance to projects which cause catastrophic contamination. This is required to ensure that it does not take decisions which promote environmental pollution which have intragenerational and intergenerational adverse impacts. These two committees alone can provide logistical and financial support for creating a national inventory of chemicals and contaminated sites for remediation. In the absence of their support the Rules will remain an exercise in pious thinking devoid of environmentally sound scientific action. 

Notably, Jagat Prakash Nadda, the union minister for chemicals, which promotes trade in chemicals including asbestos is also the union minister for health which regulates chemicals including health impact of all kinds of asbestos. Unless such conflict-of-interest is removed the purpose of well-intentioned rules of the union environment minister will be defeated.