Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has issued clarification regarding E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022. Ministry has comprehensively revised the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 and notified the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 in November, 2022 and the same is in force since 1st April, 2023. These new rules intend to manage e-waste in an environmentally sound manner and put in place an improved Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime for e-waste recycling wherein all the manufacturer, producer, refurbisher and recycler are required to register on portal developed by CPCB. The new provisions would facilitate and channelize the informal sector to formal sector for doing business and ensure recycling of E-waste in environmentally sound manner. Provisions for environmental compensation and verification & audit has also been introduced. These rules also promote Circular Economy through EPR regime and scientific recycling/disposal of the e-waste.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) advised State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) /Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) to carry out regular drives for checking e-waste processing in informal sector time to time. Actions, such as, constitution of teams for carrying out drives, issuing of notices, closure of operation, seizing the e-waste against the informal processing are being taken by the respective SPCBs/PCCs. CPCB has estimated generation of e-waste based on the sales data and average life of notified EEE.
