Government notifies Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022
Recently the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022.
The new rules will replace the Battery (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001.
New rules have the following objectives:
- Ensuring eco-friendly management of waste batteries, and promoting circular economy.
- These rules apply to all types of batteries. These also include electric vehicle batteries, portable batteries, automotive batteries and industrial batteries.
Key findings-
- These rules will establish a mechanism and a centralized online portal for the exchange of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) certificates.
- Environmental compensation will have to be paid for non-fulfillment of EPR targets based on the polluter pay principle.
- Establishment of new industries and encourage entrepreneurship for the collection and recycling/renewal of waste batteries.
- The fixed recovery targets have been fixed at 70% for FY-2025, 80% for FY-26, and 90% for FY-27 and onwards.
- Under the new rules, a certain amount of recycled material has been prescribed in the manufacture of new batteries.
- Provision has been made for setting up of committees for online registration and reporting, audit and monitoring of implementation of rules.
Importance of new rules
- Sustainable management of battery waste is essential as India is promoting the use of electric vehicles.
- The new rules will encourage investment in new technology, recycling and renewables.
- Dependence on new raw materials will be reduced and natural resources will be saved.
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a concept related to waste management.
- In this, the producers (also importers) of e-waste are responsible for the collection and recycling/renewal of e-waste and use of the material received.
Source – The Hindu
