The National Green Tribunal (NGT) accepted the Action Plan (for protecting the people from adverse health impact due to presence of microplastics in blood cells) submitted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)and directed that the concerned departments as given in Action Plan to take steps for execution of the said Action Plan and would endeavor to achieve the objective within six months .
The Principal Bench of Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Dr. Senthil Vel disposed of a Suo Moto Application initiated taking note of a news item highlighting that in absence of enforcement of environmental norms with regard to detection of microplastics in human blood, small particles of plastic enters blood cells of human through food and have adverse health impact on the people.
The matter was examined by the Tribunal on 05.04.2022. It was observed that strict compliance of environmental norms for protecting the people from adverse health impact due to presence of microplastics in blood cells is necessary and it is also pertinent to have a study to be conducted whether the existing policies of enforcement of environmental norms need to be re-visited so as to protect people from health hazards due to the above problem.
Tribunal found that a further study is required for which a Committee was constituted comprising CPCB, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology (CIPET) and NCSCM and any other expert institutions as required under nodal co-ordination of CPCB.
Pursuant to order dated 05.04.2022, a Report dated 13.02.2023 was filed by CPCB. The report acknowledges that Microplastics, both primary and secondary, pollute drinking water sources primarily through discharge of sewage/waste water treatment plant effluent and surface runoff. The Tribunal found that the Report is based on scientific basis and can be acted upon subject to objections, if any. Report showed clear potential of particulates of Microplastics entering blood cells of human beings which can have adverse health impact.
There was a need for further remedial action for enforcing ‘Sustainable Development’ and ‘Precautionary Principle’ by way of preventive and remedial measures to utilize anticipated harm to environment and public health pending further scientific investigations for laying down standards, as suggested in the Report.
Pursuant to order, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has filed its Report dated 21.11.2023, wherein it has referred to CPCB’s Report as also World Health Organization’s (WHO) Report of 2019. MoEF&CC has prepared an action plan, specifying obligations/duties/performance to be shown by different departments on various aspects.
The NGT finds that the Action Plan though ex-facie appears to be quite detailed but there is no timeline provided therein, as to how the concerned departments are required to proceed in a prescribed time frame so as to achieve objective and purpose, for which Action Plan has been prepared. Further, NGT does not find a time-bound approach to bring out source-based and ambient standards for Microplastics and subsequently their regulation and enforcement. Further, the Action Plan should have periodic monitoring mechanisms.
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