Ministry has notified Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 on 22.08.2022 to ensure environmentally sound management of waste batteries. These rules mandate recyclers and refurbishers to register with concerned State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees. Recyclers and refurbishers have been mandated to ensure that the recycling/refurbishment process is carried out in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by Central Pollution Control Board. Recyclers and refurbishers have also been mandated to ensure that hazardous waste generated from their activities is managed as per the provisions under Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016.

Recyclers and refurbishers shall file quarterly returns regarding the information on quantity of waste batteries collected or received from various producers or entities, recycled/refurbished quantities, quantity of hazardous and/or other waste including solid waste or plastic waste generated after recycling/refurbishment and disposal of such quantity, and the quarterly return shall be filed by the end of the month succeeding the end of the quarter.

The environmental compensation collected under Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 shall be utilised in collection and refurbishing or recycling of uncollected and non-recycled or non-refurbished waste batteries. The modalities for utilisation of the funds for waste batteries management would be recommended by the Committee for Implementation, constituted under the rules, for the approval of Central Government. Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 were notified on 22^nd August, 2022. The last date for filing of annual returns towards fulfilling obligations under Extended Producer Responsibility is 30^th June, 2023 in respect of FY 2022-23.

This information was given by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

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