Miraj a Senior Professional working with a waste management company in India, was approached by a leading corporate magazine to provide a write up for publication in its monthly journal, 'A Perspective'. He asked Pari, h

In order to cater to the problems related to e-waste management in the country, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) notified the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 on 2nd November, 2022 replacing the E-waste (Management) Rules, 2016 and effective from 1st April, 2023. These rules launched a new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime for e-waste recycling. The salient feature of new rules are as under: Applicable to every manufacturer, producer, refurbisher, dismantler and recycler. All the manufacturer, producer, refurbisher and recycler are required to register on portal developed by CPCB. No entity shall carry out any business without registration and also not deal with any unregistered entity. Authorization has now been replaced by Registration through online portal and only manufacturer, producer, refurbisher and recycler require Registration. Schedule I of the Rules includes 106 Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) under EPR regime. Producers of notified EEE, have been given annual E-Waste Recycling targets based on the generation from the previously sold EEE or based on sales of EEE as the case may be. Target may be made stable for 2 years and starting from 60% for the year 2023-2024 and 2024-25; 70% for the year 2025-26 and 2026-27 and 80% for the year 2027-28 and 2028-29 and onwards. Management of solar PV modules/panels/ cells. The quantity recycled will be computed on the basis of end products, so as to avoid any false claim. Provision for generation and transaction of EPR Certificate. Provisions for environment compensation and verification & audit. Provision for constitution of Steering Committee to oversee the overall implementation of E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022. Every producer of EEE and their components shall ensure that their products do not contain lead, mercury and other hazardous substances beyond the maximum prescribed concentration. Recognition and registration, skill development, monitoring and ensuring safety and health, of workers involved in dismantling and recycling of e-waste.