Government notifies Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022

Key Points:

• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India published the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 on 24th August, 2022 to ensure environmentally sound management of waste batteries.
• The rules cover all types of batteries, viz. Electric Vehicle batteries, portable batteries, automotive batteries and industrial batteries.
• EPR mandates that all waste batteries to be collected and sent for recycling/refurbishment, and its prohibits disposal in landfills and incineration. To meet the EPR obligations, producers may engage themselves or authorise any other entity for collection, recycling or refurbishment of waste batteries.
• The new Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 will replace the Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001. Unlike the earlier rules which stated responsibilities such as ensuring no damage to the environment during the transportation of waste batteries, sending batteries to registered recyclers, among others, the new rules seem to be more concrete and with better goals.
• The Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, will enable the setting up of a mechanism and a centralised online portal for the exchange of EPR certificates between producers and recyclers to fulfil the obligations of producers, the statement said.