Problems with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system

Source: The post problems with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system has been created, based on the article “Plastic mess: More efforts must be made to curb production and promote alternatives” published in “The Hindu” on 29th July 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper3- ecology, and environment-pollution

Context: The article discusses India’s plastic waste issue, highlighting that only a quarter of the 4 million tonnes generated annually is recycled. Problems with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system, including fraudulent certificates and hacking, have led to an audit and system overhaul by the CPCB.

For detailed information on the global plastics problem read this article here

How does the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system work?

1. The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system mandates that packagers, importers, and large industrial users of plastic packaging collect and recycle plastic waste.
2. These entities must register with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
3. Recyclers collect and recycle plastic waste, issuing certificates for each tonne recycled.

For detailed information on Plastic ban in India read this article here

What issues have arisen with the EPR system?

1. In 2022-23, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) estimated 3.7 million tonnes of recycling certificates were generated.
2. Approximately 600,000 of these certificates were fraudulent.
3. Hackers stole and sold thousands of certificates, causing significant issues.

What actions has the CPCB taken in response?

1. The CPCB commissioned an audit of nearly 800 firms, representing almost a fourth of the 2,300 2. registered recyclers.
2. This audit was aimed at identifying and addressing fraudulent activities within the EPR system.
3. The CPCB overhauled the security features of the EPR trading platform to prevent further fraud.
4. This security overhaul delayed the process of filing returns for 2023-24 by several months.
5. The CPCB aims to resolve these issues, considering them “teething problems” associated with implementing a large-scale electronic system.

Question for practice:

Discuss the challenges and actions taken by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in response to issues within the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system for plastic waste management in India.