The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has invited comments from stakeholders on the draft framework for the generation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Certificates, including item-wise average percentage composition in terms of weight of key metals. This move is part of the government’s efforts to regulate and incentivize the recycling of key metals from electronic waste (E-waste).
The key metals identified for EPR certificates are categorized into three groups:
- Precious Metals,
- Non-Ferrous Metals, and
- Ferrous Metals.
Precious Metals include Gold (Au), while Non-Ferrous Metals comprise Copper (Cu) and Aluminum (Al), and Ferrous Metals encompass Iron, including steel and galvanized iron.
In the initial two years, EPR certificates will be generated for Gold (Au), Non-Ferrous Metals (Al and Cu), and Iron (including steel and galvanized iron). However, the EPR Certificate framework also leaves room for Rare Earth and other precious materials to be considered and incentivized under the EPR regime.
To ensure feasibility and alignment with recycling infrastructure, the CPCB has examined the processing capacity of 11 e-waste recyclers across the country. It was found that the annual gold recovery capacity from e-waste falls short of the EPR obligation of producers. Consequently, the target for EPR Certificates for gold has been adjusted proportionally.
Considering the limitations in recycling infrastructure, the EPR obligation for gold will start at 30% of the total gold obligation in the first year of implementation (FY 23-24) and progressively increase by 10% for the next three years, followed by increments of 20% in subsequent two years (i.e., 40%, 50%, 60%, 80%, and 100% by 2028-29).
To bridge the gap between the total EPR obligation in terms of gold and the gold recycling capacity, a five-year plan has been proposed.
For Non-Ferrous (Cu and Al) and Ferrous (Fe) metals, producers will have a 100% EPR obligation.
In cases where producers fulfill their EPR obligation for gold in excess of the assigned target for the current financial year, they have two options: they can reduce their EPR liability for gold by the equivalent amount in the next financial year or purchase a reduced quantity of non-ferrous metals, equivalent to a specified percentage of their EPR liability for non-ferrous metals in the current financial year.
Stakeholders and interested parties are encouraged to provide feedback on this draft framework by 23rd August, 2023. Comments can be submitted to wm3.cpcb@nic.in, tarundarbari.cpcb@gov.in, and omesh.cpcb@supportgov.in.
