Relevance:
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India published the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 to ensure environmentally sound management of waste batteries.
About:
- Aim: to ensure environmentally sound management of waste batteries.
- New rules will replace Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001.
- The rules cover all types of batteries,
- Electric Vehicle batteries,
- Portable batteries,
- Automotive batteries
- Industrial batteries.
- The rules function based on the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
Extended Producer Responsibility:
What?
- The producers (including importers) of batteries are responsible for collection and recycling/refurbishment of waste batteries and use of recovered materials from wastes into new batteries.
How?
- EPR mandates that all waste batteries to be collected and sent for recycling/refurbishment.
- EPR prohibits disposal in landfills and incineration.
- To meet the EPR obligations, producers may engage themselves or authorise any other entity for collection, recycling or refurbishment of waste batteries.
- Polluter Pays Principle – environmental compensation will be imposed for non-fulfilment of Extended Producer Responsibility targets, responsibilities and obligations.
- The funds collected under environmental compensation shall be utilised in collection and refurbishing or recycling of uncollected and non-recycled waste batteries.
More about the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022:
- The rules will enable setting up a mechanism and centralized online portal for exchange of EPR certificates between producers and recyclers/refurbishers to fulfil the obligations of producers.
- Promote setting up of new industries and entrepreneurship in collection and recycling/refurbishment of waste batteries.
- Mandating the minimum percentage of recovery of materials from waste batteries – The rules will bring new technologies and investment in recycling and refurbishment industry and create new business opportunities
- Prescribing the use of certain amount of recycled materials in making of new batteries will reduce the dependency on new raw materials and save natural resources.
Reference: PIB
