Centre notifies new battery waste management norms

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The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on Thursday notified new norms for battery waste management which it claims will help in better ensuring adoption of environmentally sound management of waste batteries.

The norms also prescribe the use of a certain amount of recycled materials in making of new batteries in an attempt to reduce the dependency on new raw materials.

Notified on Wednesday, the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 will replace the Battery (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001, the government announced on Thursday. 

As per the statement from the ministry, the rules cover all types of batteries-  electric vehicle batteries, portable batteries, automotive batteries and industrial batteries

The ministry emphasised that the  rules are based on the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) where 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. EPR mandates that all waste batteries be collected and sent for recycling/refurbishment, and it  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. 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, the ministry added. 

The new  rules promote the  establishment of new industries and entrepreneurship in collection and recycling/refurbishment of waste batteries which will help in bringing new technologies and investments into the sector.   

On the principle of Polluter Pays Principle, environmental compensation will be imposed for non-fulfilment of EPR targets, responsibilities and obligations set out in the rules. The funds collected under environmental compensation shall be utilised in collection and refurbishing or recycling of uncollected and non-recycled waste batteries. Online registration and reporting, auditing, and a committee for monitoring the implementation of rules and to take measures required for removal of difficulties are salient features of rules for ensuring effective implementation and compliance, the ministry continued.