E-WASTE Management

Addressing the E-Waste Challenge in India: Overview of E-Waste Management Rules and Objectives

India currently is the 5^th largest producer of E-waste in the world. The number has been increased drastically for India to be at 3^rd position by end of 2020. Increased usage of electronic devices and electrical equipment like mobile phone, servers, television, laptop, microwave, refrigerators including air conditioners are resulting into large quantity of E-waste day by day.

To overcome the national concern, a set of rules and regulations for E-waste came into the existence as E-waste Management Rule, 2011. The same has been replaced with E-waste Management Rule, 2016.

E-Waste Management Rule, 2022

In November 2022, govt of India had released the notification with respect to new rule of E-waste named as E-waste Management Rule 2022. The said rule has introduced new product categories under the mandatory regime of EPR authorization. The rule 2022 will be implemented from April 1st 2023.

Product Categories and Exemptions

Following are the major product categories introduced:
- Medical devices
- Laboratory equipment
- Solar panels, modules and cell
- Large and small Electrical and Electronic products
The rule shall not apply to:
- Waste batteries covered under Battery waste management rule, 2022
- Plastics as covered under Plastic waste management rule, 2022
- micro enterprise as defined in the micro, small and Medium Enterprise Development Act, 2006
- radio-active wastes as defined in the micro, small and medium enterprise Development Act, 1962.
The recycling targets for listed product have been revised in schedule III of gazette notification.

Objective

The overall objective of E-Waste(M) rules is to take all steps required to ensure that e- waste is managed in a manner which shall protect health and environment against any adverse effects, which may result from such E-waste.

Applicability

This rule is applicable to every producer, consumer or bulk consumer, collection centre, dismantler and recycler of e-waste involved in the manufacture, sale, purchase and processing of electrical and electronic equipment or components specified in schedule– I of these Rules.

Sr. No	Categories of electrical and electronic equipment	Electrical and electronic equipment code
i)	*Information technology and telecommunication equipment:*
	Centralized data processing: Mainframes, Minicomputers	ITEW1
	Personal Computing: Personal Computers (Central Processing Unit with input and output devices)	ITEW2
	Personal Computing: Laptop Computers (Central Processing Unit with input and output devices)	ITEW3
	Personal Computing: Notebook Computers	ITEW4
	Personal Computing: Notepad Computers	ITEW5
	Printers including cartridges	ITEW6
	Copying equipment	ITEW7
	Electrical and electronic typewriters	ITEW8
	User terminals and systems	ITEW9
	Facsimile	ITEW10
	Telex	ITEW11
	Telephones	ITEW12
	Pay telephones	ITEW13
	Cordless telephones	ITEW14
	Cellular telephones	ITEW15
	Answering systems	ITEW16
ii)	*Consumer electrical and electronics:*
	Television sets (including sets based on (Liquid Crystal Display and Light Emitting Diode technology)	CEEW1
	Refrigerator	CEEW1
	Washing Machine	CEEW1
	Air-conditioners excluding centralized air conditioning plants	CEEW1
	Fluorescent and other Mercury containing lamps	CEEW1

Product Categories notified in Schedule I of E-Waste Management Rule, 2016

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

‘Extended Producer Responsibility’ means responsibility of any producer of electrical or electronic equipment, for channelization of e-waste to ensure environmentally sound management of such waste. Extended Producer Responsibility may comprise of implementing take back system and/or setting up of collection centers and having agreed arrangements with authorized dismantler/recycler either individually or collectively through a Producer Responsibility Organization recognized by producer or producers in their Extended Producer Responsibility – Authorization.

Lead time for EPR Approval as per CPCB: 4-5 Months from the date of receipt of all approved documents by the approving authority.

Extended Producer Responsibility Authorization (EPR – Authorization) is valid for a period of 5 Years.

For renewal of EPR Authorization, the application to CPCB has to be made before 3 months of its expiry (120 days).

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