ECOMARK RULES, 2024

TAG: GS- 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

CONTEXT: Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified the Ecomark Rules, 2024, for labelling products that have less adverse environmental impact.

EXPLANATION:

Key highlights of Ecomark Rules, 2024:

Ecomark will be granted to a product upon fulfillment if it has a license or a certificate of Indian Standards granted under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, or the Quality Control Orders issued by the Central Government.

Other criteria that can be regarded for grant of Ecomark:

• • reduces pollution by minimizing or eliminates the generation of waste and environmental emissions; is recyclable or is made from recycled material or both.
  • reduces use of non-renewable resources, including non-renewable energy sources and natural resources.
  • reduces use of any material, which has adverse impacts on the environment.
• The application for the Ecomark will be made to the Central Pollution Control Board (‘CPCB’) in Form 1.
• The CPCB has the power to cancel Ecomark if it thinks that the holder of the Ecomark has furnished false information or has willfully concealed any information.
• The Steering Committee will be responsible for effectively implementing these rules.

Web portal for Ecomark:

CPCB will develop a web portal for making applications/ grant of Ecomark/ submission of annual reports.

 Every Ecomark/ Verifier/ Agency holder must submit an annual report to CPCB on this portal on or before 31 May of each year.

CPCB will publish the following information on the web portal:

• • details of each holder of Ecomark and the product.
  • list of products which have been granted Ecomark.
  • report in respect of each product based on which such Ecomark has been granted to the product.
  • benefits of products with Ecomark.
  • global best practices in respect of each product granted with the Ecomark.
• CPCB will register the entities having qualification and experience in the field of environment as Verifiers.
• The State Pollution Control Board and the Pollution Control Committee will create awareness about these rules through media/ publication/ advertisement/ posters.

Environmental Certification in India:

• Indian Forest & Wood Certification Scheme
  • It offers voluntary third-party certification designed to promote sustainable forest management and agroforestry in the country.
  • It includes forest management certification, tree outside forest management certification, and chain of custody certification.
  • It provides market incentives to various entities that adhere to responsible forest management and agroforestry practices in their operations.

Source:  https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2061878