Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change addresses concerns regarding electronic and battery waste management. The E-Waste Management Rules, 2022 and Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, aim to manage waste environmentally, implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and integrate the informal sector. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) monitor compliance through registration, audits, and online portals.
Key Points / Main Content:
E-Waste Management:
* E-waste generation was 12,54,286.55 tonnes in FY 2023-24 and 13,97,955.59 tonnes in FY 2024-25.
* The E-Waste Management Rules, 2022, promote environmentally sound e-waste management and improved EPR.
* Punjab has eight registered e-waste recyclers with a recycling capacity of 46,450 tonnes per annum.
Battery Waste Management:
* The Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, ensure environmentally sound management of all battery types.
* Producers (including importers) have mandatory EPR targets for collection, recycling, or refurbishment.
* Disposal of waste batteries in landfills is prohibited.
* Producers must register with CPCB and file annual returns.
* Recyclers generate EPR certificates and register with SPCB/PCC, filing quarterly returns.
* Recycling facilities must comply with CPCB standards.
* CPCB has issued SOPs for lead-acid battery recycling, including safe fluid draining and disposal.
* A centralized online EPR portal facilitates registration and EPR certificate exchange.
* As of now, there are 437 recyclers registered in the country under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022. Out of which, 40 recyclers are from the state of Punjab.
Monitoring and Compliance:
* CPCB verifies producer compliance through inspections and audits.
* SPCB verifies compliance of refurbishers and recyclers through inspections and audits.
* Third-party auditors are empanelled for e-waste and battery waste recycler audits.
* E-waste and battery waste facilities must have specific equipment and systems (e.g., ETPs, Spent Acid Recovery).
* Registered recyclers ensure safe handling, recovery, and disposal, and file returns on the EPR portal.
Impact Analysis:
Producers (including Importers):
* Impact: Mandatory EPR targets for collection, recycling, or refurbishment of waste batteries.
* Action Required: Register with CPCB, meet EPR targets, file annual returns, and participate in the EPR certificate exchange.
Recyclers:
* Impact: Generation of EPR certificates, compliance with recycling standards, and audits.
* Action Required: Register with SPCB/PCC, file quarterly returns, ensure compliance with CPCB guidelines, and undergo audits.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB):
* Impact: Monitoring producer and recycler compliance.
* Action Required: Verify compliance through inspections and audits, manage the online EPR portal, and empanel third-party auditors.
State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) / Pollution Control Committees (PCCs):
* Impact: Monitoring compliance of refurbishers and recyclers.
* Action Required: Verify compliance through inspections and audits.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: The Indian government ministry responsible for environmental protection and climate change policies.
Central Pollution Control Board: The central pollution control board is a statutory organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
E-Waste Management Rules, 2022: Indian regulation for managing electronic waste in an environmentally sound manner.
Extended Producer Responsibility: An environmental policy approach in which producers are given a significant responsibility – financial and/or physical – for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products.
Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022: Indian regulation for ensuring environmentally sound management of waste batteries.
State Pollution Control Board, Punjab: The State Pollution Control Board responsible for implementing environmental regulations in the state of Punjab.
Amritsar, Punjab: A border district in the state of Punjab, India, mentioned in the context of increasing electronic waste.
Shri Gurjeet Singh Aujla: The member of parliament who raised the question about disposal of waste batteries.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2335
TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2025
Disposal of Waste Batteries
2335. SHRI GURJEET SINGH AUJLA:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) whether unchecked and hazardous growth of electronic waste is increasing in the
country, particularly in border districts like Amritsar, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether toxic fluid discharged from waste batteries is being diluted, dumped or illegally
released into water bodies or soil, causing irreversible environmental and groundwater
pollution;
(c) if so, the details of the monitoring mechanism in place to check the disposal of waste
batteries in the country;
(d) whether the Government has undertaken surveys, inspections or audits of informal
dumping grounds, especially in rural and semi-urban areas where scrap handling lacks
regulation; and
(e) the details of recycling measures and pollution control precautions are in place in this
regard and the role of certified recyclers towards environment?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) estimates the e-waste generation at
national level based on the countrywide sales data provided by the registered producers, and
average life of notified electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), as mandated under the E-
Waste (Management) Rules, 2022. As per the CPCB, e-waste generated and percentage of e-
waste collected, dismantled and recycled / disposed in the country during the FY 2023-24 and
2024-25 is given below:
Financial Year (FY) Total e-waste generated [tonnes/annum]
2023-2024 12,54,286.55
2024-2025 13,97,955.59
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has notified
the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 to manage e-waste in environmentally sound manner,
to have an improved Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime for recycling of e-waste
and to facilitate & channelize e-waste from informal sector to formal sector. In the State of
Punjab, there are eight e-waste recyclers registered on EPR Portal of CPCB with recycling
capacity of 46,450 tonnes per annum.(b) to (e) MoEF&CC has notified the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 on 24th
August, 2022 to ensure environmentally sound management of waste batteries. The rules cover
all types of batteries viz. Electric Vehicle batteries, portable batteries, automotive batteries and
industrial batteries. Under the rules, the producers, including importers, have been given
mandatory EPR targets for collection and recycling or refurbishment of waste batteries. EPR
framework under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 prohibits disposal of waste
batteries in landfills.
Under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, the producers have been mandated
to obtain registration with CPCB and file annual returns regarding the waste batteries collected
and recycled or refurbished towards fulfilling obligations under EPR, and pre-consumer waste
batteries generated in the preceding financial year.
The recyclers have been mandated to generate EPR certificates based on the weight of
the battery waste processed. Further, recyclers have been mandated to register with State
Pollution Control Board (SPCB)/ Pollution Control Committee (PCC) on the centralized online
portal and file quarterly returns, regarding the information on quantity of used batteries
collected or received from various producers or entities, recycled quantities, quantity of
hazardous and/or other waste including solid waste or plastic waste generated after recycling
and disposal of such quantities. The recyclers have been mandated to ensure that recycling
processes and facilities for waste batteries comply with the standards or guidelines prescribed
by CPCB.
CPCB has issued the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for lead acid battery
recycling, specifying the measures for safe draining of hazardous fluids and its disposal and
repurposing use in other industrial processes. Centralized online EPR portal has been
developed for registration of producers and recyclers, exchange of EPR certificates between
producers and recyclers to fulfil the EPR obligations of the producer. Currently, there are 437
recyclers registered in the country under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022. Out of
437 recyclers, 40 recyclers are from the state of Punjab.
Under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, CPCB has been mandated to verify
compliance by producer through inspection and periodic audit. SPCB has been mandated to
verify compliance of entity involved in refurbishing and recycling of waste batteries through
inspection and periodic audit. CPCB has empanelled third-party auditors for conducting audit
of recyclers of e-waste and battery waste as mandated under the respective rules.
As per the information received from the Punjab Pollution Control Board, e-waste
facilities are equipped with Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), leachate containment systems,
dust extraction and filtration units, secured storage for hazardous fractions, and periodic air and
effluent monitoring. Battery-waste facilities have Spent Acid Recovery and Neutralization
Systems, lined waste storage, ventilated work areas, dust suppression measures, and
occupational safety protocols. Further, registered recyclers ensure the safe collection,
transportation, dismantling, and recovery of metals from e-waste and batteries, neutralization
of acids, and secure disposal of hazardous residues in strict compliance with the E-Waste
(Management) Rules, 2022 and the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022. They also file
returns on the EPR portal developed by the CPCB, ensuring accountability and regulatory
compliance.
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