Centre notifies new regulations for environmentally sound management of waste batteries

With a view to promoting recycling and refurbishment of waste batteries in the country, the Central government has notified the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, to ensure environmentally sound management of waste batteries.
Officials said that notification of these rules is a transformative step toward implementation of the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on Independence Day on August 15, 2021, to promote the Circular Economy in full earnest.
New 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.
The rules function based on the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), where the producers (including importers) of batteries are responsible for the collection and recycling/refurbishment of waste batteries and the use of recovered materials from wastes into new batteries.
EPR mandates that all waste batteries be collected and sent for recycling or refurbishment, prohibiting disposal in landfills and incineration.
To meet the EPR obligations, producers may engage themselves or authorise any other entity for the collection, recycling or refurbishment of waste batteries.
The rules will enable the setting up of a mechanism and centralised online portal for the exchange of EPR certificates between producers and recyclers/refurbishers to fulfil the obligations of producers.
Moreover, it will promote the setting up of new industries and entrepreneurship in collecting and recycling waste batteries.
Mandating the minimum percentage of materials recovery from waste batteries under the rules will bring new technologies and investment in the recycling and refurbishment industry and create new business opportunities.
Prescribing a certain amount of recycled materials in making new batteries will reduce the dependency on new raw materials and save natural resources.