Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022

Why in news?

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has published the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022.

About Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022:

• Aims to ensure environmentally sound management of waste batteries.
• These rules will replace the Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001.
• The rules cover all types of batteries, viz. Electric Vehicle batteries, portable batteries, automotive batteries and industrial batteries.

Key provisions of the rules:

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR):
  • Producers (including importers) of batteries are responsible for the collection and recycling /refurbishment of waste batteries and the use of recovered materials from waste into new batteries.
  • The rules enable the setting up of a mechanism and centralized online portal for the exchange of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) certificates.
• Polluter Pay Principle:
  • Environmental compensation will be imposed for non-fulfilment of EPR targets.
  • The funds collected under environmental compensation shall be utilized in the collection and refurbishing or recycling of uncollected and non-recycled waste batteries.
• Industries for waste Batteries:
  • Promote setting up of new industries and entrepreneurship in collection and recycling /refurbishment of waste batteries.
• Use of recycled materials for new batteries:
  • The rules prescribe the use of a certain amount of recycled materials in the making of new batteries.
• Monitoring the implementation of rules:
  • Online registration & reporting, auditing, and committee for monitoring the implementation of rules and taking measures required for removal of difficulties.

Significance of these rules:

• Sustainable management of battery waste would increase India’s push for electric vehicles.
• The rules will bring new technologies and investment in recycling and refurbishment.
• It will help reduce the dependency on new raw materials and save natural resources.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Consider the following statements

1. As per Battery Waste Management Rules 2022; producers of batteries are responsible for the collection and recycling of waste batteries

2. The Battery Waste Management Rules 2022 prescribe the use of a certain amount of recycled materials in the making of new batteries

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer