Govt Drafts New Battery Waste Management Rules; Seeks Suggestions

The government has drafted new rules for battery waste management that will make it the responsibility of manufacturers, importers, assemblers and re-conditioners to collect used batteries against the new ones sold by them.

According to an official notification, the proposed draft rules known as the ‘Battery Waste Management Rules, 2020’ include all kinds of batteries as listed in the Schedule-I, regardless of their shape, volume, weight, material composition or use.

As per the new proposed rules, it is the responsibility of manufacturers and dealers to set up collection centers either individually or jointly to collect used batteries from consumers and will also ensure that such collected batteries will only be sent to the registered recyclers.

Moreover, in order to ensure that no damage will occur to the environment, they will also have to take care of the safe transportation of such batteries from collection centres to the premises of registered recyclers, the notification added.

Further, the manufacturers will have to use the international recycling sign on batteries and will purchase recycled lead, and other elements only from the registered recyclers.

In case of any violation by dealers, the manufacturers will bring this to the notice of the State Board or the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, the notification further stated.

Besides, manufacturers have to ensure that the new batteries will be sold only to dealers, bulk consumers and OEMs registered with CPCB or any agency designated by it.

However, these regulations will not apply on batteries used in the equipment related to essential security interests; space exploration; emergency and alarm systems; emergency lighting; and medical equipment.

The government has asked people to provide their suggestions or raise objections if any to the draft rules within sixty days.

These proposed rules came at a time when recycling industry stakeholders are demanding a separate ministry for them in order to drive growth of the industry.

Meanwhile, these rules are expected to help in converting India’s waste into wealth as every year approx 2.7 billion dry cell batteries were consumed in the country.