The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. These rules replace the Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001 and lay down the standards for management of various types of waste batteries.
Waste Battery includes: (i) used/end-of-life battery and its hazardous/non-hazardous components; (ii) battery diverted during the manufacturing process; and (iii) expired or discarded battery.
Key features of the Rules are:
▪ Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): The producers of batteries have to ensure the collection, recycling, and refurbishment of the Waste Batteries. The EPR targets are specific to the kind of battery (e.g., Lithium-ion, Lead-acid) within each type of battery- portable, automotive, electric, and industrial. EPR mandates the minimum use of domestically recycled materials (e.g., lithium, nickel, cobalt) in a new battery.
▪ Responsibilities of consumers: The Consumers should ensure: (i) discarding waste battery separately from other types of waste, and (ii) dispose waste batteries by giving it to an entity engaged in collection, refurbishment, or recycling.
▪ Committee for implementation: The central government will constitute a Committee (Chariman, Central Pollution Control Board) to recommend measures to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for implementation of the Rules. The Committee will consist of relevant stakeholders such as members from various Ministries, State and Central Pollution Control Boards, and associations representing various stakeholders such as recyclers and producers.
▪ Centralised Online Portal: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will create a centralised online portal for the registration and return filing of waste batteries. The online portal will facilitate the generation and exchange of the EPR certificates between the producers and recyclers/refurbishers to meet the producer’s obligations.
▪ Environmental Compensation: Environmental Compensation will be levied by CPCB on entities in violation of the Rules.
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