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Centre notifies rules that define labelling of eco-friendly products
The Union environment ministry has notified Ecomark Rules, 2024 which define guidelines for labelling environment friendly products.
The Union environment ministry has notified Ecomark Rules, 2024 which define guidelines for labelling environment friendly products.
In its rules notified on September 26 and published on October 1, the ministry states that it intends to encourage the demand for environment-friendly products that cause fewer adverse impacts on the environment, thereby, supporting the principles of ‘LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment)’, promote lower energy consumption, resource efficiency and conservation, circular economy and prevent misleading information on the environmental friendliness of products.
LiFE, first put forth by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on November 1, 2021, as a way of tackling the climate crisis, is at the heart of India’s climate goals.
The draft Ecomark Certification Rules, 2023 were published on October 11, 2023.
The criteria for grant of an Ecomark for a product includes the production process, including source of raw material; its use of natural resources; and its environmental impact according to the notification.
They include minimising or eliminating the generation of waste and environmental emissions; reducing the use of non-renewable resources, including non-renewable energy sources and natural resources; reducing the use of any material which has adverse impacts on the environment ; and whether it is recyclable or is made from recycled material or both.
Independent experts cautioned that continuous monitoring of production processes and impacts will be necessary for the grant of an Ecomark.
“Labeling as a regulatory mechanism requires some underlying conditions to deliver its intent. This includes a robust institutional framework backed by government intent to ensure compliance, responsive manufacturers committed to environmental ethics and public sentiment to which both the institutions and manufacturers are accountable to,” said Kanchi Kohli, independent legal and policy researcher, on the guidelines. “These have been critical gaps in highly technical and centralized pollution regulation in many parts of the world including India. A legal regime around labeling has to acknowledge these lacunae and ensure widespread buy for it not to remain another framework unable to meet its objectives.”
An application for grant of Ecomark has to be made to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). On receipt of the application, CPCB itself or a verifying agency will ascertain whether the product complies with the conditions stipulated. After this verification, CPCB or the agency will prepare a report and submit it to CPCB within a period of 60 days from the date of such verification. If CPCB is satisfied that the product complies with the conditions, it may grant Ecomark to the product.
If CPCB is satisfied that the holder of an Ecomark has furnished false information or has wilfully concealed any information required to be furnished, after giving the holder of Ecomark an opportunity to be heard, it can suspend or cancel the Ecomark.
The notification states that the Centre will constitute a Steering Committee with members drawn from several ministries that will be responsible for the effective implementation of these rules. The verifiers engaged by CPCB or CPCB on its own shall monitor compliance with conditions and submit annual reports.
Former pollution control board officials said they are reviewing the notification.
The European Union (EU) has an Ecomark policy. According to EU, the Ecomark project was established to raise environmental awareness among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in industrial areas without impacting negatively on their entrepreneurial goals, thus empowering them to turn environmental challenges into opportunities.
Mission LiFE is an India-led global mass movement to nudge individual and community action to protect and preserve the environment. According to the LiFE website, there are three stages of the movement including change in demand, change in supply and change in policy.
