Why this Project is Important

Potential Long Term Impact

Our goal is to reduce emissions from lead battery plants and encourage more environmentally sound battery recycling. Our incentive program will certify plants that meet minimum standards for emissions and product stewardship.

Project Message

After struggling to find a solution to limit emissions from lead battery manufacturing and recycling, we are now at the verge of a breakthrough with the launch of the BEST Certification Program.
- Dr. Thuppil Venkatesh, Director

Who is Running This Project

Contact

Dr. Thuppil Venkatesh,
Director
St. John’s Medical College
John Nagara Post
Bangalore, Karnataka 560034
India
1918022065058
Email:

Project Sponsor

Marketplace 2005

Organization

Learn more about National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning and the project team.

Where this Project is Located

Country

This project is located in India and can also be found under Environment.

For more information about India, read the Human Development Report on India or the Wikipedia entry for India.

When this Project was Updated

Last Updated

This project was last updated on July 03, 2007.

Date Added to GlobalGiving

This project was added to the GlobalGiving project catalog on January 17, 2005.

Latest Update from the Field

Program Update July 2007

By Perry Gottesfeld - Project leader, OK International, July 03, 2007 03:55 PM

Better Environmental Sustainability Targets (BEST) Certification For Lead Battery Manufacturing Program Update July 2007

Background

Previously, our international partnership launched a multi-stakeholder process to set environmental certification standards to specify emission limits and a system to take back used lead batteries for environmentally sound recycling. Support for this effort has remained consistent throughout the five meetings that had broad participation from key stakeholders. The stakeholder process concluded with a consensus to forward the BEST Standard for public comment.

Currently we are focused on distributing the BEST Standard to a wider audience to encourage comments and input from stakeholders beyond those who have participated to date. This comment period is also being used to increase the awareness of the standard among lead battery companies and major battery purchasers. We recently conducted two national meetings are being planned in coordination with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, the Quality Council of India, and other organizations.

We anticipate launching the certification program in India by the end of 2007. The attached schedule indicates key milestones anticipated over the next year.

Performance Measures

As requested in our grant agreement, we have updated the list of performance measures that are relevant to the progress of the project. Specifically, our suggested parameters are outlined below:

Stakeholder Engagement:

The attendance and participation of key sectors throughout the five multi-stakeholder meetings remained relatively consistent.

Standard Development:

We have completed the draft BEST Standard and are now within the final 60 day comment period to obtain feedback on the document. The final version will be released in September 2007. This process follows the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling (ISEAL) Alliance, Code of Good Practices.

Awareness Building:

We anticipate additional meetings and outreach to increase the awareness of this program among Indian battery companies, bulk consumers, government, and the public.

Certification:

We have made additional progress at preparing the BEST governance documents, copyrights, eco-label design, and other materials necessary to launch the certification program.


Other Program Accomplishments:

• Reached consensus among all stakeholders on the BEST Standard for certifying lead battery companies;

• Established partnership with NGOs, major battery companies, and bulk purchasers; and

• The partnership was selected as a SEEDs Award finalist -- having been recognized as one of the world’s top entrepreneurial projects for sustainable development.

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