Lay Down Standards For Using Lead In PVC Pipes: NGT To MoEF [Read Order]

The Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal on Thursday directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to lay down standards within four months for using lead in Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) pipes, in consultation with Bureau of Indian Standards.

The Bench, comprising Justice Swatanter Kumar (Chairperson), Justice Raghuvendra S. Rathore (Judicial Member) and Mr. Bikram Singh Sajwan (Expert Member) also directed the MoEF Secretary to draw up a programme for phasing out lead from PVC pipes which is used to stabilize thermal degradation.

The Tribunal was hearing an Application filed by Jan Sahyog Manch, seeking directions to take remedial and preventive steps regarding environment and ecological damage caused by the use of lead in manufacturing of PVC pipes and other products.

The applicant had brought to the notice of the Court that the use of lead contaminated water travelling through PVC pipes is causing various diseases such as rise in blood pressure, kidney damage, disruption of nervous system, brain damage, and diminished learning abilities in children.

Accepting such contentions, the Tribunal observed, “In view of the above discussions, particularly, the potential adverse health effects, due to presence of lead in water flowing through PVC pipes, we feel it necessary that the entire matter of usage of lead as stabilizer in PVC pipes and its desired standards needs to be examined expeditiously on scientific grounds by the MoEF & CC, based on environmental considerations.”

Read the Order here.