EPR Compliance In India

Overview

India faces a significant challenge with its daily production of thousands of tonnes of plastic waste, exacerbated by the fact that only 60% of this waste is collected, leaving the remaining 40% unaccounted for and posing serious environmental and health risks. To address this issue, India has introduced Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) compliance regulations under its waste management rules. These regulations mandate that producers, manufacturers, and importers take responsibility for recycling the waste they generate annually, thereby mitigating environmental impact and safeguarding public health.

Understanding EPR Compliance in India

The EPR Policy in India is founded on the 'Polluter Pays' principle, where producers are responsible for managing and disposing of their products once they are no longer needed or usable. Adopted by the Government of India, this policy mandates that businesses go beyond manufacturing and distributing products by ensuring the proper disposal or recycling of waste generated from their goods. EPR, which stands for Extended Producer Responsibility, holds producers accountable for maintaining a clean and safe environment through effective waste management practices.

Different Types of EPR Compliance in India

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) compliance varies depending on the type of waste, such as Electronic Waste (E-Waste), Battery Waste, Hazardous Waste, and Plastic Waste. In India, producers must obtain certificates under specific rules governing each waste category, ensuring proper management and processing.

• EPR Compliance for E-Waste

• EPR Compliance for Plastic Waste

• EPR Compliance for Battery Waste

• EPR Compliance for Tyre Waste

EPR Compliance for Tyre Waste: When an electrical or electronic product is discarded due to malfunction or any part failure, it typically undergoes refurbishment or repair. If it fails these processes and cannot be restored, it is classified as e-waste.

EPR Compliance for Plastic Waste: Plastic waste encompasses discarded plastic materials that are no longer required and have become waste. This category includes a wide range of plastic products like packaging materials, single-use plastics, plastic bottles, containers, and other disposable plastic items.

EPR Compliance for Battery Waste: Battery waste refers to the waste produced from cells, batteries, or their components, including accumulators. These items generate electrical energy through the direct conversion of chemical energy and encompass both disposable primary and secondary batteries.

EPR Compliance for Tyre Waste: Tyre waste denotes tires that have been discarded or used to the point where they are no longer functional and have become waste. Tires are employed in a range of vehicles such as cars, trucks, and buses, and they transition into waste when they are damaged, worn out, or exchanged for new ones.

Advantages of EPR Compliance in India

The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Policy was introduced with the aim of achieving multiple environmental benefits. Additionally, it offers advantages to producers, governments, and society at large. These benefits of the extended producer responsibility policy can be categorized as follows:

Benefits for the Government: Annually, the government allocates substantial funds towards waste management. EPR serves as a viable solution by transferring the responsibility for waste management, disposal, and recycling entirely to producers. This significantly reduces government expenditure, freeing up resources that can be redirected towards various other schemes instead of managing waste generated by businesses.

Benefits for Society: Under EPR, producers are mandated to conduct awareness campaigns that educate citizens on recycling processes and waste collection. These initiatives play a crucial role in fostering a more informed society that actively participates in the country's sustainable development efforts.

Benefits for the Environment: EPR encourages producers to minimize the use of hazardous substances in their products. This initiative aims to reduce the circulation of harmful chemicals and toxins, thereby lowering the environmental risks associated with exposure to these substances.

Benefits for the Producers: Through this approach, the government incentivizes producers to prioritize the development of environmentally-friendly products whenever feasible. Producers are motivated to adopt such practices not only to enhance environmental sustainability but also to mitigate EPR costs associated with product recycling.

Fostering a Culture of Recycling: EPR promotes a recycling culture within society by not only engaging producers but also educating citizens through awareness campaigns. This encourages consumers to responsibly deposit recyclable materials, which producers then collect and recycle as part of their EPR obligations.

Renewal of EPR Obligations and Adjusted Targets

If producers fail to meet their EPR targets in the current financial year, any remaining extended producer responsibility obligation will be carried forward and added to their next year's requirement. These recycling targets are defined in the waste management rules and regulated by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Monitoring is overseen by the respective Pollution Control Board or Committee. The targets depend on the quantity of products introduced to the market by the company in the previous financial year and the accumulated EPR obligation carried forward.