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- Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has proposed a draft National Resource Efficiency Policy 2019.The policy aims to streamline the efficient use of resources with minimum negative impact on environment.
- The draft policy suggests setting up a ‘National Resource Efficiency Authority’(NREA) to (a)develop an action plan with three years time-frame (b)create and maintain database (c)measure progress and (d)build capacities.
- Under initial action plan(2019-22),the policy also seeks to constitute an inter-ministerial body named National Resource Efficiency Advisory Board(NREAB) for coordination among different agencies.
- The aim of the policy is also to drive the country towards circular economy through efficient use of available material resources based on principle of 6R and ‘green public procurement’.
- The 6R stands for reduce, reuse, recycle, redesign, re-manufacture and refurbish.On the other hand,‘green public procurement’ means to procure products with lower environmental footprints such as secondary raw materials and locally sourced materials.
- The draft policy also talks about regulations and taxes on virgin materials so that the manufacturers move to use of secondary raw materials by processing scrap.
- Further,the policy also pitches for moving towards ‘zero landfill’ approach in the country.This means imposing ‘landfill taxes’ and ‘high tipping fees’ on bulk generators of waste so that they can move towards optimal use of materials and better waste management.
- Referring to the automotive sector,the draft notes that more than 8.7 million vehicles had reached ‘end-of-life vehicle’ (ELV) status in 2015 and it is estimated to reach 21 million by 2025.Hence,it seeks to establish 20 vehicle dismantlers across major urban centres in the country by 2020.
