Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) addresses electronic waste management through the E-Waste Management Rules, 2022, effective since April 1, 2023, and the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022. These rules regulate electronic equipment and battery waste, promoting Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and environmentally sound recycling practices. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitors e-waste generation and enforces these rules through various guidelines, directions, and an online portal.
Key Points / Main Content:
E-Waste Management Rules, 2022:
* Regulates 106 Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) listed in Schedule I, including mobile phones, computers, and UPS systems.
* Implements an improved EPR regime for e-waste recycling.
* Requires manufacturers, producers, refurbishers, and recyclers to register on a CPCB-developed portal.
* Aims to channelize the informal sector into the formal sector for environmentally sound recycling.
* Promotes Circular Economy through EPR and scientific recycling/disposal.
* Provides for verification and audit of compliance through random inspection and periodic audit.
* Includes Environmental Compensation (EC) Guidelines for violations of rules and guidelines.
Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022:
* Covers all types of batteries, including electric vehicle, portable, automotive, and industrial batteries.
* Mandates EPR targets for producers (including importers) for collection and recycling/refurbishment of waste batteries.
* Prohibits disposal of waste batteries in landfills.
CPCB Initiatives:
* Estimates national e-waste generation based on sales data and average life of EEE.
* Developed an online E-Waste EPR portal for registration of relevant entities.
* Created guidelines for the scientific and environmentally sound management of e-waste.
* Implements an Action Plan through State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) for checking informal e-waste activities.
* Issues directions to SPCBs/PCCs for effective implementation of the E-Waste Management Rules, 2022, including mass awareness drives and ensuring EPR certificate generation.
E-Waste Generation Data:
* Financial Year 2023-2024: 12,54,286.55 tonnes/annum
* Financial Year 2024-2025: 13,97,955.59 tonnes/annum
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Lead Acid Battery Recycling:
* Specifies measures for safe draining of hazardous fluids.
* Focuses on disposal and repurposing use in other industrial processes.
Impact Analysis:
Producers (including Importers):
Impact: Subject to mandatory EPR targets for collection and recycling/refurbishment of e-waste and batteries. Required to register on the CPCB portal.
Action Required: Meet EPR targets, register on the CPCB portal, ensure environmentally sound management of waste, and comply with audit requirements.
Manufacturers, Refurbishers, and Recyclers:
Impact: Required to register on the CPCB portal and adhere to guidelines for scientific and environmentally sound e-waste management.
Action Required: Register on the CPCB portal, comply with e-waste management guidelines, and submit quarterly and annual returns.
State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs):
Impact: Responsible for implementing the Action Plan for E-Waste Management Rules, 2022, checking informal e-waste activities, and submitting quarterly progress reports.
Action Required: Implement the Action Plan, conduct regular checks on informal e-waste activities, and submit quarterly progress reports.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB):
Impact: Responsible for monitoring e-waste generation, developing guidelines, managing the online portal, and auditing compliance.
Action Required: Continue to monitor e-waste generation, update guidelines as needed, maintain the online portal, and conduct audits.
Key Entities Referenced
E-Waste Management Rules, 2016: The original E-Waste Management Rules which were later revised.
E-Waste Management Rules, 2022: Revised rules for managing e-waste in India, notified in November 2022 and in force since April 1, 2023. These rules establish an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime.
Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022: Rules notified on August 24, 2022, to ensure environmentally sound management of waste batteries, including those from electric vehicles, portable devices, automotive, and industrial applications.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): A policy approach under which producers are given a significant responsibility – financial and/or organisational – for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB): The central body responsible for estimating e-waste generation, developing guidelines for e-waste management, and overseeing the implementation of e-waste rules in India.
State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs): State-level agencies responsible for implementing the E-Waste Management Rules, 2022 within their respective states and union territories.
Pollution Control Committees (PCCs): Committees responsible for implementing the E-Waste Management Rules, 2022 within their respective union territories.
Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974: An act to provide for the prevention and control of water pollution and the maintaining or restoring of wholesomeness of water, for the establishment, with a view to carrying out the purposes aforesaid, of Boards, for conferring on and assigning to such Boards powers and functions relating thereto and for matters connected therewith.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3592
TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025
Electronic Waste Management
3592. SHRI GURJEET SINGH AUJLA:
DR. MOHAMMAD JAWED:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) whether the Government plans to handle zero-value electronic waste including
discarded mobile phones, computers, UPS systems, various batteries of lithium/acid-
based etc.;
(b) the manner in which the toxic battery fluid is being disposed off;
(c) whether the Government is aware that e-waste has become a major factor for
environmental pollution;
(d) if so, the estimated quantity of e-waste generated annually in the country along with the
steps taken/being taken to control pollution caused by such e-waste;
(e) whether there are any norms for disposal of e-waste, if so, the details thereof; and
(f) the details of measures taken/being taken by the Government for national-level audit,
clear policy roadmap to ensure India’s electronic future does not come at cost of
environmental disaster?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) & (b) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has
comprehensively revised the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 and notified the E-Waste
(Management) Rules, 2022 in November, 2022 and the same is in force since 1st April, 2023.
These Rules are regulating 106 Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) listed in Schedule-
I of the said Rules, including discarded mobile phones, computers and UPS systems.
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
Extended Producer Responsibility (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. Central Pollution Control Board (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 andrecyclers, exchange of EPR certificates between producers and recyclers to fulfil the EPR
obligations of the producer.
(c) to (f) 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 EEE, as mandated
under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022. As per the CPCB, e-waste generated in the
country during the Financial Year (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
E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, provide for managing e-waste in an environmentally
sound manner and putting in place an improved EPR regime for e-waste recycling wherein all
the manufacturers, producers, refurbishers and recyclers are required to register on portal
developed by the CPCB. The new provisions facilitate and channelize the informal sector to
formal sector for doing business and ensuring recycling of e-waste in an environmentally sound
manner. These Rules also promote Circular Economy through EPR regime and scientific
recycling/disposal of the e-waste. Further, CPCB has taken following steps for effective
management of E-Waste Rules as under:
(i) An online E-Waste EPR portal has been developed by CPCB, wherein entities such as
producers, manufacturers, recyclers and refurbishers of the e-waste are required to be
registered.
(ii) CPCB has developed guidelines for the scientific and environmentally sound
management of e-waste. The guidelines detail the procedures and facilities in terms of
machineries and pollution control devices required for the recycling of e-waste in an
environmentally sound manner.
(iii) An Action Plan for implementation of E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 is in place
and the same is being implemented by all the State Pollution Control Boards
(SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) in their respective States/UTs.
SPCBs/PCCs are submitting quarterly progress report. The Action Plan makes it
incumbent upon SPCBs/PCCs to carry out regular drives for checking informal e-
waste activities and help them to enter into formal sector.
(iv) The registered entities submit their compliance through Quarterly and Annual Returns
on the E-waste Portal.
(v) The Rules have provided verification and audit by the Central Pollution Control Board
or through a designated agency, to verify compliance of these Rules through random
inspection and periodic audit, as deemed appropriate, so as to take action against
violations of these Rules.
(vi) Environmental Compensation (EC) Guidelines under E-Waste (Management) Rules,
2022 have been developed for levying EC on any entity in case of violation of any of
the provision of these Rules and guidelines issued hereunder.
(vii) CPCB issued the following Directions to SPCBs/PCCs for effective implementation
of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022:
(a) Directions dated 06.09.2022 under Section 18 (1) (b) of the Water (Prevention and
Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,
1981 regarding checking informal e-waste activities, verification of authorized
dismantlers/recyclers of E-Waste and drives for mass awareness.(b) Directions dated 30.01.2024 under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act,
1986 regarding registration of producers, manufacturers, recyclers and
refurbishers on the Online E-Waste EPR Portal.
(c) Directions dated 14.02.2024 under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act,
1986 for ensuring generation of EPR Certificates by E-Waste recyclers towards
fulfilment of Producers EPR obligations for the FY 2023-24.
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