In line with the guidelines of the Montreal Protocol, 1987 which regulates/bans the use of ozone depleting substances internationally, the Indian Government formulated ODS Rules in 2000. These rules specify the time frame and technology options for India for phasing out ODS.

The salient features of ITC’s Guidelines on ODS phase out are -

Corporate EHS audits each unit annually to ensure adherence.

In 2007-08, the total consumption of ODS by all ITC units was 151 kgs.

All our units are required to manage chemicals, oils and fuels in an environmentally responsible manner. International best practices on leakage prevention along with requirements stated in Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for hazardous chemicals, adequate dyke walls, impervious flooring and leak detection system are strictly followed while designing storage facilities. Best management practices on handling & storage, leak detection & spill control and preventive maintenance have been instituted to avoid any instances of spills or leakage. These measures are inspected on a regular basis to ensure robustness of the systems.

Paperboards & Specialty Paper units, major user of hazardous substances among our businesses, have adopted best practices to eliminate/reduce hazardous chemicals. We also continuously examine the possibility of substituting these hazardous chemicals with less or non-hazardous materials.

 We did not have any significant spill of any chemicals, oils, fuels or hazardous wastes in any of our units this year.

None of our units/operations is located in a biodiversity sensitive zone.

In 2007-08, the expansion of the Bhadrachalam Paperboards mill and the R&D Centre, Bengaluru, was carried out at the existing locations. We are also setting up new hotels in Bengaluru and Chennai, a new Cigarette unit and a Snack Foods factory in Pune. All the new/expansion projects have been undertaken after detailed Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and stakeholder consultations.

We 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 ISO 14001/OHSAS 18001/HACCP etc. and are certified by accredited 3^rd Party agencies.

Corporate EHS audits every unit at least once each year to ensure ‘Beyond Compliance performance’.

There was no non-compliance of any environmental laws/regulations in 2007-08.