The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued new guidelines to standardize the determination of processing capacity for e-waste recyclers. State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) will now use these guidelines to assess and grant Consent to Operate (CTO) to e-waste recycling facilities. This notification was issued on November 4, 2024.
Key Points of the New Guidelines
The processing capacity of an e-waste recycling facility will be determined based on the capacity of the maximum hourly capacity of installed machinery and equipment, considering a maximum of 20 hours of operation per day.
Recycling facilities must have adequate space for:
- Recycling operations
- Raw material storage (e-waste)
- Product storage
- Non-recyclable material storage
- Hazardous waste storage
- Pollution control equipment
- Operation control area
The guidelines define the permissible end products of recycling, including metals like gold, copper, aluminum, and iron.
SPCBs/PCCs will grant CTOs specifying the annual processing capacity in terms of the weight of e-waste that the facility can handle. Standalone dismantling facilities can be allowed, but the recycler must take responsibility for the flow of materials and report it in their annual return.
Maintenance of Records
Recyclers are required to maintain detailed records of material flow at each stage of the recycling process, including input and output weights.
Recyclers should also maintain records of following products / non –recyclable / Hazardous Waste materials besides the end products, as derived from E-waste as per the requirement of the EPR Portal:
a. Other metals such as Tin (Sn), Palladium (Pd), Platinum (Pt), Silver (Ag), Rare Earth metals if any
b. Plastic
c. Puff
d. Rubber
e. Oil
f. Refrigerant gases
g. Residues of Recycling
h. Hazardous Waste generated and its disposed to TSDF facility
Recyclers must have systems in place to sanitize data from electronic devices to protect personal information.
These guidelines aim to ensure that e-waste recycling facilities operate efficiently and responsibly, minimizing environmental impact and promoting sustainable waste management practices. The CPCB seeks to enhance the oversight and regulation of e-waste recycling activities in India by standardizing the process of determining processing capacity.
