News: With growing volumes of lithium batteries waste in country, there is a need to re-analyze the Battery Waste Management Rules (BWMR).
About Battery Waste Management Rules (BWMR)
- There is a growing volume of battery waste in India, with lithium batteries alone accounting for 7,00,000 of the 1.6 million metric tonnes of e-waste generated in 2022.
- Recognizing these risks, the government notified the Battery Waste Management Rules (BWMR) in 2022 to ensure sustainable management and recycling.
Battery Waste Management Rules (BWMR), 2022
- Released by: Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change
- The rules replaced the Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001.
- These rules guide the channelisation of depleting resources towards refurbishment or recycling.
- Key Provisions of the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022
- Comprehensive coverage: The rules apply to all types of batteries – Electric Vehicle batteries, portable batteries, automotive batteries, and industrial batteries, including both new and refurbished batteries.
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Producers (including manufacturers and importers) are responsible for the collection, recycling, and refurbishment of waste batteries.
- They must ensure waste batteries are collected and processed for recycling/refurbishment, and recovered materials go back into new battery production.
- Collection & recycling targets: Specific targets for the recovery of battery materials:
- 70% by 2024-25
- 80% by 2026
- 90% from 2026-27 onwards
- 100% of collected waste batteries must be recycled or refurbished
- Centralized online portal: Establishment of a centralized portal for:
- Registration and reporting for producers, recyclers, and refurbishers
- Management of EPR certificates
- Monitoring and compliance.
- Polluter Pays Principle (PPP): Environmental compensation is imposed on producers who fail to meet their EPR targets.
- Ban on landfilling & incineration: Prohibits disposal of waste batteries in landfills or by incineration to ensure environmentally sound management.
- Mandatory registration: All producers, recyclers, and refurbishers must register on the central portal for legal compliance and to continue their operations.
- Role of public authorities & entities: Public Waste Management Authorities and collection entities must hand over collected batteries only to registered recyclers or refurbishers.
- Strict auditing and monitoring: Regular audits and committee-based monitoring mechanisms are provided to ensure the effective enforcement of the rules.
Battery Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2025
- The Battery Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2025 further amend the 2022 rules.
- These amendments focus on enhancing recycling practices, promoting the use of recycled materials in battery production, and strengthening the framework for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
Key Provisions of Battery Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2025
- Prices of EPR Certificates: The Central Pollution Control Board shall fix the highest and the lowest price for EPR certicates.
- The prices shall be equal to 100% and 30%, respectively of the Environmental Compensation leviable on the obligated entities for non-fullment of Extended Producer Responsibility obligations.
- Earlier, EPR certificates were generated by CPCB through the centralised online portal based on the recycled or refurbished quantities and assigned to recyclers or refurbishes, who could sell the assigned EPR certificates to Producer in exchange of waste batteries.
- The Central Pollution Control Board shall prepare and recommend guidelines for imposition and collection of Environmental Compensation from producers and entities involved in refurbishment and recycling of waste battery, in case of non-compliance of these rules.
- Earlier, Committee for Implementation constituted by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) used to prepare and recommend guidelines for imposition and collection of Environmental Compensation.
