India Hazardous Chemicals List
Where can I find India's hazardous chemicals list?
India's hazardous chemicals list is in the schedules to the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical (MSIHC) Rules, 1989. The Ministry of Environment and Forests made these rules under Sections 6, 8 and 25 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, by notification S.O. 966(E) of 27 November 1989 [1]. The official consolidated text is published on India Code. It includes the amendments made by S.O. 115(E) (5.02.1990), GSR 584 (09.09.1990), S.O. 2882 (03.10.1994) and S.O. 57(E) (19.01.2000) [1].
Approach: I searched the MSIHC Rules 1989, both the consolidated India Code text and the original 1989 Gazette notification.
The list is spread over three schedules. Rule 2(e) defines "hazardous chemical" as [1]:
- Schedule 1: any chemical that meets the criteria in Part I or is listed in Column 2 of Part II. The first Part II entry is Acetaldehyde [2].
- Schedule 2: chemicals in isolated storage, with threshold quantities in Columns 3 and 4. For example, Acrylonitrile is listed at 350 (Column 3) and 5,000 (Column 4) [3].
- Schedule 3: chemicals used in industrial activity.
What the schedules trigger:
- If a site holds quantities at or above the Column 3 thresholds in Schedules 2 and 3, it is a "major accident hazards (MAH) installation" (rule 2(ja), inserted in 2000) [6].
- Rules 7 to 15 apply at or above the Schedule 3 quantities (industrial activity) and the Schedule 2 quantities (isolated storage) (rule 6) [7]. Under rule 7(1), an occupier "shall not undertake any industrial activity" without an approval and a written report (Schedule 7 particulars) filed at least 3 months beforehand [7].
- Schedule 9 sets out the Safety Data Sheet format (see rule 17) [8].
Use the consolidated India Code text rather than the 1989 Gazette version. The 2000 amendment changed the Schedule 1 wording, from a chemical that meets the Part I criteria and is listed in Part II [9] to one that meets the criteria or is listed [1].
If you give me a chemical name or CAS number, I can tell you which MSIHC schedule it is in and its threshold quantities.
Which thresholds trigger safety reports and emergency plans?
Under India's MSIHC Rules, 1989, the two duties have different triggers. Emergency plans (rules 13 and 14) start at the Column 3 threshold quantity in Schedule 2 (isolated storage) or Schedule 3 (industrial activity). Safety reports and safety audits (rules 10 to 12) start only at the higher Column 4 threshold. Rule 6 sets this out: rules 7 to 15 apply where the quantity is "equal to or more than" the quantity in Columns 3 & 4, with "Rules 10-12 only for Column 4" [7].
Approach: I read the consolidated India Code text of the MSIHC Rules, 1989 (amended in 1994 and 2000), including rules 2, 6, 10 to 15 and Schedules 8, 11 and 12.
How the thresholds are counted
- Industrial activity: chemicals listed in Column 2 of Schedule 3, at or above the Column 3 or Column 4 quantity [7].
- Isolated storage: chemicals listed in Column 2 of Schedule 2, at or above the Column 3 or Column 4 quantity [7].
- Classes of substances (Schedule 3 Part II): the threshold applies to the total quantity of all substances of that class [6].
- MAH installation status (rule 2(ja)) also starts at Column 3 [6].
- Examples:
| Obligation | Trigger | Main duties |
|---|---|---|
| Site approval and notification (rule 7) | Column 3 | The occupier "shall not undertake" the activity without approval and a Schedule 7 report filed at least 3 months beforehand [7] |
| Safety report (rule 10(1)) | Column 4 | Schedule 8 content, sent to the concerned authority at least ninety days before the activity starts [10][11] |
| Safety audit (rule 10(4)-(6)) | Column 4 | Independent audit by an expert not associated with the activity. The report goes to the authority within 30 days, and the audit is redone once a year [10] |
| Safety report updates (rule 11) | Column 4 | A further report at least 90 days before a material modification, and a new report within three years of the last one [12] |
| Further information (rule 12) | Column 4 | Additional information to be supplied within 90 days of the authority's notice [12] |
| On-site emergency plan (rule 13) | Column 3 | Prepared by the occupier before a new activity starts. The plan names the person responsible for safety, and a mock drill is held every six months with the report made "immediately available" to the authority [12]. Contents follow Schedule 11 [13] |
| Off-site emergency plan (rule 14) | Column 3 | Prepared by the concerned authority (Schedule 5) after consulting the occupier, who "shall provide" the information it needs. The plan is rehearsed at least once in a calendar year, and contents follow Schedule 12 [14][15] |
| Public information (rule 15) | Column 3 | The occupier informs people likely to be affected about the hazard and the "Do's and Don'ts", before the activity starts [14] |
Two points on the text
- Adding a chemical counts as a new activity. If an activity later has a threshold quantity or more of an additional hazardous chemical, rule 7 treats it as a different activity that must be notified again [7].
- Schedule cross-reference in rule 13. The consolidated rule 13(1) refers to details "specified in Schedule II". The schedule actually headed "Details to be furnished in the On-site Emergency Plan" is Schedule 11, marked "See Rule 13(1)" [12][13].
If you tell me which chemicals you hold and in what quantities, I can look up their Column 3 and Column 4 thresholds in Schedules 2 and 3. That shows which of these duties apply to your site.