Question : Extended Producer Responsibility

(a) whether it is a fact that consumer goods companies and makers of electronics goods have been asked to ensure at least 60% of their electronic waste is collected and recycled by 2023 with targets to increase them to 70% and 80% in 2024 and 2025, respectively;
(b) whether it is also a fact that the Government has been focusing on the extended producer responsibility certificates, recycling and trading;
(c) whether it is also true that companies will have to register on an online portal and specify their annual production and e-waste collection targets; and
(d) if so, the total number of companies complied with the said guidelines so far?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)to (d) The management of e-waste in the Country is regulated under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 and amendments thereof. The Rules, are effective from 01-10-2016 and have the following specific objectives:

? Extended Responsibility to producers to manage a system of E-waste collection, storage, transportation and environmentally sound dismantling and recycling through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Authorization.
? To promote and encourage establishment of an efficient e-waste collection mechanism.
? To promote environmentally safe and sound recycling through authorized dismantlers and recyclers of e-waste.
? To minimize illegal recycling / recovery operations.
? Reduce hazardous substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE).

As per E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, the producer of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) as listed in Schedule I shall implement e-waste collection targets under Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) as per Schedule III which are as below:

S.No. Year E-Waste collection Target (Weight)

(i) 2017-2018 10% of the quantity of waste generation as indicated in EPR Plan.
(ii) 2018-2019 20% of the quantity of waste generation as indicated in in EPR Plan.
(iii) 2019-2020 30% of the quantity of waste generation as indicated in in EPR Plan.
(iv) 2020-2021 40% of the quantity of waste generation as indicated in in EPR Plan.
(v) 2021-2022 50% of the quantity of waste generation as indicated in in EPR Plan.
(vi) 2022-2023 60% of the quantity of waste generation as indicated in in EPR Plan.
(vii) 2023 onwards 70% of the quantity of waste generation as indicated in in EPR Plan.

Under the E-Waste(Management) Rules, 2016, the authorization to e-waste dismantlers and recyclers is granted by the concerned State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) /Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) after ensuring that the applicant is utilising environmentally sound technologies and possess adequate technical capabilities, requisite facilities and equipment to dismantle or recycle and process e-waste in compliance to the guidelines specified by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). SPCBs/PCCs are also carrying out regular inspections of e-waste dismantling/recycling facilities for ensuring compliance.

As per the information available with CPCB, there are 472 authorised dismantlers/recyclers in 22 States having processing capacity of 14,26,685.22Metric Tonne per annum (based on information received from SPCBs/PCCs and available on website of SPCBs/PCCs).With respect to extended producer responsibility, CPCB has provided authorization to total 2061 producers of electrical and electronic equipment across the country as on date. Further, the rules provide for monitoring of EPR of e-waste through CPCB, for which online portal has been developed in which target of each producer/producer responsibility organisation is duly assigned based on their production data of items as listed in Schedule-I of the Rules.

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