Plastic and electronics have become an essential and crucial part of our daily life. It is massively produced all over the world. Plastic waste and E-Waste are generating millions of tonnes per annum (TPA) in India, which is expected to rise. Waste management has become a major concern because it directly impacts human health and the environment. Recycling is an effective way to reuse electronics and plastic products. Waste management is collecting, recycling, reusing, and disposing of waste in an environmentally sustainable manner to reduce its harmful impact on the environment and human health.
To ensure the processing of waste, Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) regime has been implemented in the Plastic Waste Management Rules, E-waste Management Rule, and Battery Waste Management Rule. EPR makes manufacturers accountable for managing the final stage of their products in an environmentally friendly manner and assures environmentally sound management.
You may now be curious to know more about EPR, so let’s understand Extended Producer Responsibility for waste management.
EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT
Extended Producer Responsibility refers to the Producers’ responsibility for the environmentally sound management of the product until its end of life. According to EPR, it is the responsibility of producers, importers, and brand owners to make sure that their product waste is managed through recycling, reuse, or end-of-life disposal.
Producers, Importers, and Brand Owners (PIBOs) shall register with Central Pollution Control Board as per EPR guidelines. EPR registration is required in India for all manufacturers, importers, and brand owners. These entities must obtain EPR Registration/EPR Authorization in order to manage product waste in India. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), under the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, Government of India, issues EPR Authorization/EPR Registration for Plastic waste, battery waste, and e-waste. It imposes the responsibility on the EPR certificate holder to manage their product waste in an environmentally friendly manner.
You read about EPR in the paragraph above, you might be curious to know more about the certifications needed for your product waste management.
EPR AUTHORIZATION FOR E-WASTE MANAGEMENT
According to the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, All manufacturers of Electrical and Electronics (EEE) products/equipment mentioned in Schedule 1 are responsible for collecting, recycling, and disposing of the final stage of their EEE product from an authorized dismantler/recycler.
According to the E-Waste (Management) Rules 2022, all producers, manufacturers, refurbishers, and recyclers must register on the portal to collect and ensure the recycling or disposal of any electronic waste generated during the production, refurbishment, or disposal of any electrical and electronic equipment. Entities must register on the portal by selecting the relevant category, such as manufacturer, Producer, refurbisher, or recycler. If an entity falls into more than one category, it must register separately for each. It is illegal under the law for any entity to conduct a business without being registered. CPCB EPR Authorization for E-waste Management is mandatory for all these entities. Under the EPR Authorization, Indian and foreign manufacturers or importers of electrical and electronic equipment must obtain an E-waste certificate.
EPR REGISTRATION FOR PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT
The Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) regime is being implemented in the Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016 to ensure the processing of plastic packaging waste. According to this, producers, importers, and brand owners are responsible for ensuring that their plastic packaging waste is processed through recycling, reuse, or disposal at the end of its useful life. According to the PWM Rules, all producers, importers, brand owners (PIBOs), and plastic waste processors are required to adhere to Extended Producer Responsibility.
According to EPR guidelines for plastic packaging, producers, importers, brand owners, and plastic waste processors must register through the centralized online EPR portal of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). After registering on the EPR portal, PIBOs must obtain EPR Registration for Plastic Waste Management.
EPR REGISTRATION FOR BATTERY WASTE MANAGEMENT
The EPR concept is also implemented in Battery Waste Management Rule, which holds that battery producers are responsible for collecting, recycling, and refurbishing waste batteries and using recovered waste materials to make new batteries. According to the EPR for Battery Waste Management, it is the responsibility of every Producer of Batteries to manage Waste Batteries in an environmentally sound manner in order to protect both the environment and human health from any potential harm caused by any substances contained in Waste Batteries.
Every Producer and person or entity involved in the manufacture of batteries must register with the CPCB using a centralized online portal in accordance with BWM Rules 2022. All recyclers and refurbishers must register on the centralized portal with the State Pollution Control Board to get a one-time registration. Every Producer or entity involved in battery manufacturing must obtain EPR registration from the CPCB for battery waste management.
BENEFITS OF OBTAINING EPR AUTHORIZATION IN INDIA
- Good Environmental Impact
- Promotes Reuse/Recycling of Products
- Ensures Sustainable Development
- Ensure management of waste in an Environmentally Friendly Manner
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR EPR AUTHORIZATION/EPR REGISTRATION IN INDIA
The following documents are required for EPR registration in India.
- GST Certificate
- Incorporation Certificate
- Importer Exporter Code (IEC)
- KYC of authorized signatory and Company signatory
- NOC or Consent Letter from State Pollution Control Board
- Proof of premises
- Product details
- PAN Card
- Process Flow Diagram and other documents, if any
PROCESS OF EPR REGISTRATION
The steps to get EPR registration are outlined below. By doing so, you can get an EPR registration certificate from the CPCB.
- Documentation
- Registration for login credentials
- Submission of application and fee
- Processing/review of the application
- Grant of EPR Registration
CONCLUSION
EPR Certification is a legal obligation for all manufacturers, importers, and brand owners of electronic/battery/plastic items for waste management. All manufacturers, importers, and brand owners must get EPR registration from the CPCB for waste management. Aleph INDIA is one of the leading EPR Registration consultants in India. Get your EPR Registration through Aleph INDIA, in a short span of time.
Aleph India is a global consultancy firm that provides consultation and advisory services to manufacturers and importers worldwide to help them meet all compliance requirements necessary to run a business smoothly. Aleph India provides a one-stop shop for all compliance requirements, including product certification, testing, training, and auditing, assisting industries in producing quality products and complying with quality standards.