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Hindustan
Subject: Environmental Pollution and Governance (Microplastics, CPCB, NGT)|Target exams: UPSC
Key points for Prelims: Microplastics, Central Pollution Control Board, National Green Tribunal, CSIR-NEERI, Bureau of Indian Standards
Mains syllabus mapping
- General Studies Paper 3: Environmental pollution and degradation, conservation, emerging pollutants, role of regulatory bodies
- General Studies Paper 2: Functions and role of statutory bodies such as CPCB and NGT, judicial activism on environment
Key facts for one-day exams
- Three government institutes have been assigned microplastics testing methods.
- CIPET will develop testing methods for water and soil.
- CSIR-NEERI will develop the airborne microplastics testing method.
- The coastal management centre's assignment includes aquatic organisms and sludge.
- The NGT allowed eight weeks for a progress report.
Microplastics testing methods India: why in the news?
The Central Pollution Control Board has informed the National Green Tribunal about the assignment of three institutes to develop uniform national methods for microplastics testing, with a 12-month timeline and a progress report due in eight weeks.
The Central Pollution Control Board has told the National Green Tribunal that three government institutes will develop separate testing methods to detect microplastics in air, water and soil. The board informed the tribunal in November 2026 that the entire process of developing and finalising the procedures is expected to take about a year. The tribunal, headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, has given the board eight weeks to file a progress report, with the next hearing scheduled for 4 February 2027.
The Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology will prepare the method for testing microplastics in water and soil. The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management will develop the procedure for seawater, coastal sediment, sludge and aquatic organisms. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–National Environmental Engineering Research Institute has been assigned the responsibility for testing airborne microplastics. The Bureau of Indian Standards has already issued relevant standards, but detailed testing procedures for individual media are yet to be finalised, officials said.
What is the National Green Tribunal and when was it formed?
The National Green Tribunal was established on 18 October 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010. It is a specialised judicial body that handles environmental disputes and provides speedy disposal of cases. The tribunal has the power to take suo motu cognisance of matters involving substantial questions relating to the environment. Its principal bench sits in New Delhi, with other benches across the country.
Why are uniform testing methods needed?
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that can reach different parts of the environment. The Bureau of Indian Standards has issued standards, but they do not specify detailed testing procedures for individual media. Without a uniform national process covering sampling, preparation and analysis, results from different laboratories cannot be reliably compared, according to the board.
What triggered the tribunal's involvement?
In August 2024, the National Green Tribunal took suo motu cognisance of media reports about microplastics found in salt and sugar brands. The matter was later combined with a case concerning microplastics in human blood. The tribunal has now sought a progress report from the Central Pollution Control Board.
Institute-wise microplastics testing assignments
| Institute | Samples assigned |
|---|---|
| CIPET | Water and soil |
| National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management | Seawater, coastal sediment, sludge, aquatic organisms |
| CSIR-NEERI | Air |
Key terms
- Microplastics:
- Very small plastic particles that can occur in different parts of the environment.
- Suo motu cognisance:
- A court or tribunal taking up a matter on its own initiative.
- Environmental sampling:
- The collection of material from an environmental medium for examination or analysis.
Microplastics testing methods India: why it matters for exams
Exams: UPSC
Syllabus: Environment: Pollution and environmental monitoring; Governance: Environmental institutions
Common mistake: Examiners may swap the institutes' assignments: CIPET handles water and soil, while CSIR-NEERI handles air; the 12 months sought for method development is not the eight-week progress-report period.
Mains practice questions
Question 1(GS-3 | 250 words | 15 marks)
Microplastics have emerged as a pervasive environmental pollutant, yet India still lacks uniform national testing methods for air, water and soil. Critically examine the challenges in regulating microplastic pollution and suggest measures to strengthen the institutional framework.
Answer outline
- Introduction: Open by noting that the CPCB has tasked three institutes with developing separate national testing methods for microplastics in air, water and soil, with a year-long timeline, highlighting the gap in standardised monitoring.
- Body:
- Nature of the problem: microplastics spread across air, water, soil and the food chain, making them difficult to detect and quantify uniformly.
- Institutional fragmentation: responsibility is split across CIPET, the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management and CSIR-NEERI, with the BIS having standards but detailed procedures pending, which risks delay and inconsistency.
- Regulatory and scientific gaps: absence of finalised, medium-specific protocols hampers enforcement, baseline data collection and accountability of polluters.
- Role of judicial oversight: the NGT's monitoring through progress reports and timelines pushes executive agencies to act, though time-bound compliance remains a concern.
- Suggested measures: coordinated national protocol, dedicated funding, capacity building in analytical laboratories, inclusion of microplastics in pollution control norms and periodic public reporting.
- Conclusion: A balanced way forward combines timely standardisation of testing methods with a coordinated, science-based regulatory framework so that microplastic pollution can be monitored, measured and mitigated effectively.
Question 2(GS-2 | 150 words | 10 marks)
Discuss the role of the National Green Tribunal in ensuring environmental governance in India, with reference to its recent direction to the Central Pollution Control Board on microplastics testing.
Answer outline
- Introduction: Introduce the NGT as a specialised judicial body and note that it has asked the CPCB to file a progress report within eight weeks on developing microplastics testing methods.
- Body:
- Specialised jurisdiction: the NGT handles disputes relating to environmental protection and conservation of natural resources, offering quicker adjudication than ordinary courts.
- Monitoring executive action: by fixing timelines and seeking progress reports, the tribunal ensures that regulatory bodies such as the CPCB act on their mandates.
- Scope for emerging issues: the tribunal's engagement with microplastics shows its role in addressing newer pollutants not yet covered by detailed regulations.
- Limitations: dependence on executive compliance, limited enforcement powers and possible overlap with other institutions.
- Conclusion: The NGT plays a significant supervisory role in environmental governance, and its effectiveness depends on sustained follow-up and cooperation with expert and regulatory agencies.
Stuck? Get it in one tap
Microplastics are very small plastic particles found in the environment. Three institutes will develop testing procedures for different types of samples. Uniform procedures are intended to help laboratories produce reliable results that can be compared.
- Environment: Pollution and environmental monitoring
- Governance: Environmental institutions
Related concepts: Microplastics, Suo motu cognisance, Environmental sampling
Practice questions
Pick an answer, then read the explanation.
- Q1Easy
Which body informed the National Green Tribunal about the assignment of microplastics testing methods to three institutes?
Explanation: The Central Pollution Control Board informed the tribunal about the assignments. The Bureau of Indian Standards issued relevant standards, while the other two bodies are among the institutes assigned testing work.
- Q2Hard
Consider the following statements about the proposed national microplastics testing methods:
- 1.The Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology will develop methods for water and soil.
- 2.CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute will develop the method for seawater and coastal sediment.
- 3.The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management will cover aquatic organisms and sludge.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Statements 1 and 3 correctly identify the respective assignments. Statement 2 is incorrect: CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute is responsible for air, while the coastal centre handles seawater and coastal sediment.
- Q3Medium
How much time did the Central Pollution Control Board seek to develop microplastics testing procedures?
Explanation: The board sought 12 months for developing the procedures. Separately, the tribunal allowed eight weeks for a progress report; the other month-based options do not match the requested development period.
- Q4Medium
Why are uniform national procedures for microplastics testing being developed?
Explanation: Uniform procedures for sampling, preparation and analysis aim to improve comparability and reliability across laboratories. The assignments cover several media, not just seawater, and the testing process requires analysis rather than visual inspection alone.
Frequently asked questions
1. Which institute will develop microplastics testing methods for water and soil?
The Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology will develop the water and soil methods.
2. Which institute is responsible for testing airborne microplastics?
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–National Environmental Engineering Research Institute is responsible for developing the air-testing method.
3. How long has CPCB sought to develop microplastics testing procedures?
The Central Pollution Control Board has sought 12 months to develop the procedures.
4. When is the next NGT hearing on microplastics testing?
The next hearing is scheduled for 4 February 2027.
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- Original12 November 2026 · Read story
