Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has comprehensively revised the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 and notified the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 in November, 2022 and the same is in force since 1^st April, 2023. These Rules are regulating 106 Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) listed in Schedule-I of the said Rules, including discarded mobile phones, computers and UPS systems.

MoEF&CC has notified the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 on 24^th August, 2022 to ensure environmentally sound management of waste batteries. The Rules cover all types of batteries viz. Electric Vehicle batteries, portable batteries, automotive batteries and industrial batteries. Under the Rules, the producers, including importers, have been given mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) targets for collection and recycling or refurbishment of waste batteries. EPR framework under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022prohibits disposal of waste batteries in landfills.Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for lead acid battery recycling, specifying the measures for safe draining of hazardous fluids and its disposal and repurposing use in other industrial processes. Centralized online EPR portal has been developed for registration of producers and recyclers, exchange of EPR certificates between producers and recyclers to fulfil the EPR obligations of the producer.

CPCB estimates the e-waste generation at national level, based on the countrywide sales data provided by the registered producers, and average life of notified EEE, as mandated under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022. As per the CPCB, e-waste generated in the country during the Financial Year (FY) 2023-24 and 2024-25 is given below:

 

Financial Year (FY)	Total e-waste generated [tonnes/annum]
2023-2024	12,54,286.55
2024-2025	13,97,955.59

 

E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, provide for managing e-waste in an environmentally sound manner and putting in place an improved EPR regime for e-waste recycling wherein all the manufacturers, producers, refurbishers and recyclers are required to register on portal developed by the CPCB. The new provisions facilitate and channelize the informal sector to formal sector for doing business and ensuring recycling of e-waste in an environmentally sound manner. These Rules also promote Circular Economy through EPR regime and scientific recycling/disposal of the e-waste. Further, CPCB has taken following steps for effective management of E-Waste Rules as under:

 

1. An online E-Waste EPR portal has been developed by CPCB, wherein entities such as producers, manufacturers, recyclers and refurbishers of the e-waste are required to be registered.
2. CPCB has developed guidelines for the scientific and environmentally sound management of e-waste. The guidelines detail the procedures and facilities in terms of machineries and pollution control devices required for the recycling of e-waste in an environmentally sound manner.
3. An Action Plan for implementation of E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 is in place and the same is being implemented by all the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) in their respective States/UTs. SPCBs/PCCs are submitting quarterly progress report. The Action Plan makes it incumbent upon SPCBs/PCCs to carry out regular drives for checking informal e-waste activities and help them to enter into formal sector.
4. The registered entities submit their compliance through Quarterly and Annual Returns on the E-wastePortal.
5. The Rules have provided verification and audit by the Central Pollution Control Board or through a designated agency, to verify compliance of these Rules through random inspection and periodic audit, as deemed appropriate, so as to take action against violations of these Rules.
6. Environmental Compensation (EC) Guidelines under E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 have been developed for levying EC on any entity in case of violation of any of the provision of these Rules and guidelines issued hereunder.
7. CPCB issued the following Directions to SPCBs/PCCs for effective implementation of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022:

 

1. Directions dated 06.09.2022 under Section 18 (1) (b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 regarding checking informal e-waste activities, verification of authorized dismantlers/recyclers of E-Waste and drives for mass awareness.
2. Directions dated 30.01.2024 under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 regarding registration of producers, manufacturers, recyclers and refurbishers on the Online E-Waste EPR Portal.

Directions dated 14.02.2024 under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for ensuring generation of EPR Certificates by E-Waste recyclers towards fulfilment of Producers EPR obligations for the FY 2023-24.

 

This information was provided by UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE, SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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GS/SK

(Lok Sabha US Q3592)

(Release ID: 2155124)