Environmental Impact and Sustainability Studies in India

Compliance with environmental regulations in India is based on a series of layers that include, but are not limited to the Environment Protection Act 1986, EIA Notification 2006 and its amendments, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, Hazardous and other Wastes Management Rules, and the relevant sectoral norms as prescribed by CPCB and State Pollution Control Boards. At IMARC Engineering, we are well-versed in all aspects of the above-mentioned regulation and, thus, ensure that our environmental studies address all the specific requirements for documentation and technical inputs that are required by applications for MoEFCC Environmental Clearance, SPCB Consents to establish and operate and NGT requirements without necessitating re-submission at a later stage due to inadequate documentation.

Environmental Impact Assessments which contain generic baseline information and qualitative impact description without any quantified impact prediction will frequently be sent back to developers for further baseline studies because of data insufficiency problems, causing substantial delays in the project schedule. IMARC Engineering provides baseline characterization on site specific basis, undertaking baseline air quality measurements, measurement of water quality in ground and surface water, soil characterization, sound level measurement, and ecological baseline information during specified seasons of the year. IMARC Engineering also uses recognized methods for quantifying project impacts such as air dispersion modeling, sound propagation modeling, and hydrological impact assessment according to the CPCB/MoEFCC criteria.

The process of carbon footprint measurement for industrial operations in India involves setting the scope boundaries according to the GHG Protocol, selecting the appropriate emission factors from Indian sources like those of the Central Electricity Authority, and adopting methodologies that satisfy the demands of international guidelines, such as CDP disclosure, Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) goals, and customer sustainability due diligence in the export market. IMARC Engineering carries out carbon footprint measurements in Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3, which are technically robust, independently verifiable, and are designed to meet the ESG reporting requirements that the client intends to report. This includes CDP disclosure, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Business Responsibility for Sustainability Report (BRSR), and international customers' sustainability due diligence.

In India, regulations governing industrial water management have become increasingly stringent with CPCB and State Pollution Control Boards, with zero liquid discharge being a requirement in water-scarce regions and industries such as textile manufacturing, pharma, and food production, whereas restrictions on water availability and rising costs of groundwater extraction provide independent reasons for water management. IMARC Engineering undertakes an analysis of the water balance within the industrial plant, identifying all the sources of water inflows, consumption in the manufacturing process, and discharge, identifying ways to reduce and reuse water in the industry through water management strategies, and implementing zero liquid discharge if required under mandate or economically feasible. The team provides design solutions for treating and recycling effluents and maintaining compliance with CPCB discharge norms while ensuring minimal water withdrawal.

The ESG disclosure regulations for Indian manufacturing companies have seen significant changes, the SEBI BRSR regulations have made it compulsory for the top 1,000 manufacturing companies in terms of market capitalization to disclose their ESG data, international institutional investors have begun screening Indian manufacturing companies according to their ESG criteria, and export markets in Europe and North America have been demanding sustainability due diligence from Indian manufacturing companies that form part of their supply chain. IMARC Engineering offers services that include the development of ESG baseline data and a sustainability improvement program that is consistent with mandatory BRSR regulations, GRI Standards, CDP questionnaire requirements, and customer-specific supply chain sustainability audits.

Lifecycle assessment (LCA) is a methodology that assesses the environmental impact of a product or process throughout its entire lifecycle from raw material acquisition, manufacture, delivery, use, and disposal, giving environmental impact assessment needed for EPD, green procurement requirements, export compliance with environmental standards, and internal decision-making regarding process design. For Indian companies seeking markets in Europe, whose imports will have to meet the requirements of the EU Green Deal and CBAM, LCA can provide the information needed about their products' carbon footprints to understand and minimize any risk of CBAM liability. IMARC Engineering performs lifecycle assessments conforming to ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, calibrated for the unique characteristics of the client’s product systems, employing local Indian data as well as internationally respected background databases, to provide LCA results that are technically defendable.