As per a review by Central Task Force on implementation of action points under corporate responsibility for environmental protection (CREP) in bulk drug industry in India, 111 bulk drug units have submitted their action plans out of 435 enterprises, to respective State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The industry agreed on action points such as segregation of waste streams, detoxification and treatment of waste streams, management of solid waste, minimum scale of production to afford cost of pollution control.

Long term strategies for reduction in waste, control of air pollution, self-regulation by industry through regular monitoring and environmental auditing, organizational restructuring and accreditation of environmental management cell and optimising the inventory of hazardous chemicals have also been agreed upon.

The review pointed states such as AP, Maharashtra and Gujarat are possessing facilities for solid waste management, while in other states; several companies are storing hazardous wastes in their factory premises.

As per the decision taken in the third steering committee meeting held in May 2006, it was decided that regional task forces would be created which will assess the compliance of agreed action points. The CPCB has also initiated a project to develop emission standards for bulk drug industries, a senior official of CPCB revealed.

It is learnt, for new industries which are not connected with a central common effluent treatment plant and which do not have the economies of scale to install treatment facilities, grant for consent of establishment may not be considered.

Over 260 types of bulk drugs are produced in India at present, as per estimates. There are about 60 therapeutic classes of bulk drugs manufactured. The total drugs production as in 2003-04 has been over 22,000 tons with close to 400 bulk drug units. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat constitute a significant number of units.