Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)
In line with the guidelines of the Montreal Protocol 1987 which regulates/bans the use of ozone depleting substances internationally, the Government of India formulated ODS (ozone depleting substances) Rules in 2000. These rules specify the time frame and technology options for India to phase out ODS.
The salient features of ITC’s Guidelines on ODS phase out are –
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All newly purchased equipment to be free of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), Halons and Methyl Chloroform (MCF). |
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All units to monitor and reduce consumption of ODS. |
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Replace all the existing equipment using ODS well before the phase out stipulation & recover all the ODS from the equipment being replaced - for recycling or safe disposal. |
Corporate EHS audits each unit, annually, to ensure compliance.
In 2008-09, the total consumption of ODS by all our units was 163 Kg of CFC-11 (equivalent).
Responsible Management of Chemicals, Oils and Fuels
All our units manage chemicals, oils and fuels in an environmentally responsible manner. While designing storage facilities, best practices on leakage/spillage prevention are considered such as adequate dyke walls, impervious flooring, leak detection system and requirements under Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for hazardous chemicals. Standard operating procedures on handling & storage, leak detection & spill control and preventive maintenance have been instituted to avoid spills or leakage. These measures are inspected on a regular basis to ensure robustness of the systems.
The Paperboards & Specialty Papers units, which are major users of hazardous substances among our businesses, have adopted best practices to eliminate/reduce hazardous chemicals. We also continuously examine the feasibility of substituting these hazardous chemicals with less or non-hazardous materials.
There was no major spill of any chemicals, oils, fuels or hazardous wastes in any of our units.
Biodiversity
None of our units/operations is located in a biodiversity sensitive zone. All the new/expansion projects have been undertaken after detailed Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and stakeholder consultations. Environmental Management Plans developed in the EIA studies are implemented as part of the projects.
Beyond Compliance
All our Units remain committed to benchmarking against international standards and to the implementation of state-of-the-art processes and technologies.
Environment, Occupational Health & Safety management systems in our units conform to international standards namely ISO 14001/OHSAS 18001/HACCP etc. and are certified by accredited 3rd Party agencies.
Corporate EHS experts audit every unit at least once each year to ensure compliance to statutory norms and Corporate EHS requirements. |
