The major functions of the Hazardous Substances Management Division(External website that opens in a new window) (HSMD) include regulatory activities for framing necessary Rules relating to environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes/chemicals, plastics and municipal sold wastes under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and promotional activities by providing necessary financial support to the concerned agencies for their implementation. The Division is also responsible for planning, overseeing and implementation of the policies and programmes on the management of chemical emergencies and hazardous substances including hazardous wastes. The mandate of this Division is to promote safety in the management and use of hazardous substances including hazardous chemicals and hazardous wastes with an objective to prevent and mitigate damage to health and environment due to hazardous chemicals and wastes.

• A fresh draft Notification of Hazardous Waste Management Rules has been published on 28th September, 2007 for seeking public comments. The title of the proposed Rules is Hazardous materials (Management, Handling & Transboundary Movement) Rules. 2007. The time for providing objections/suggestions on the said Draft Rules was over on 28th November 2007. The proposed Draft Rules would repeal the Hazardous Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1989 and amendments thereof. The comments on the draft Notification have been received from various organizations and are being examined.
• Financial assistance for conducting training programmes on Emergency Preparedness. Accident Prevention has been provided to National Safety Councils, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry and other state run institutions. The main objective of the programme is to effectively prepare, prevent and mitigate emergencies arising due to chemicals and to impress upon the concerned people regarding the necessity of emergency preparedness and response.
• A Red Book containing duties to be performed during emergency, names, addresses and telephone numbers of key functionaries of the Ministry, State Governments, State Pollution Control Boards. Chief Inspectorate of Factories and Experts/Institutions is published and circulated.
• Global Environment fund (GEF) has sanctioned the grant for the preparation of India\'s National Implementation Plan of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
• An Inter-Ministerial delegation from India participated in the Open-ended Ad Hoc Working Group on Non-compliance and the 2nd Conferences of Parties of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants from 25th -27th April, 2007 and 30th April - 4th May, 2007 in Dakar, Senegal.
• Training workshops for stakeholders on Bio-medical Waste Management for effective implementation of Bio-Medical Waste (Management& Handling) Rules, 1998 as amended in 2000 and 2003, were conducted in the States of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh & Chandigarh and Andhra Pradesh by M/s Safety Action Group (Vadodara), Advanced Management Institute (Delhi) and M/s C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre (Chennai), respectively during the year.

Source: National Portal Content Management Team, Reviewed on: 12-07-2010