Brief about EPRA
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) refers to the responsibility of Indian manufacturers and importers of electronic products to manage e-waste. To carry out this responsibility, an EPR certificate is mandatory, and it is issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India. The certificate enables the manufacturers and importers to manage e-waste generated from their products after the end of their useful life.
How to obtain EPR Authorization in India?
The manufacturer or importer of electronic and electrical products must submit documentary evidence of their e-waste management plan and an agreement with a recycling agency.
At NAC, we offer complete support in obtaining EPR registration by managing documentation and other formalities to obtain the EPR certificate.
EPRA E-Waste
The government of India enacted the first law in 2011, based on the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which mandates the manufacturer to manage the final stage of their product's life in an eco-friendly way, ensuring environmentally sound management. The EPR certificate or license is compulsory for every producer or importer of electric or electronic equipment, which encourages manufacturers to produce environmentally friendly products. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) under MoEFCC, Government of India issues EPR Authorization.
Under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, all manufacturers of Electrical and Electronics (EEE) products/equipment listed in Schedule 1 are responsible for collecting, recycling, and disposing of their product's final stage from an authorized dismantler/recycler. Manufacturers and importers must tie-up with authorized recyclers to dispose of E-Waste and submit plans related to estimated dump quantity and the disposal method adopted in CPCB to obtain the EPR Certificate. In summary, the manufacturer is responsible for the ultimate recycling, reuse, or disposal of their product.
On November 2, 2022, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change issued the E-Waste (Management) Rules 2022, which will be effective from April 1, 2023. This regulation mandates all manufacturers, producers, refurbishers, and recyclers to register on the portal and collect e-waste generated during the manufacturing, refurbishing, or disposal of any electrical and electronic equipment to ensure its recycling or disposal. The entities must register on the portal under the appropriate category such as manufacturer, producer, refurbisher, or recycler. If an entity falls into more than one category, they must register separately under each category. Business cannot be conducted without registration.
Entities must file annual and quarterly returns in the prescribed format on the portal before the end of the month following the quarter or year to which the return relates. These regulations apply to all manufacturers, producers, refurbishers, dismantlers, and recyclers involved in the manufacture, sale, transfer, purchase, refurbishment, dismantling, recycling, and processing of e-waste or electrical and electronic equipment listed in Schedule I.
The Central Pollution Control Board may charge registration fees and annual maintenance fees on entities seeking registration under these rules based on the capacity of e-waste generated, recycled, or handled by them, as determined by the board with the approval of the Steering Committee.
Producers of electrical and electronic equipment listed in Schedule I must first register on the portal to obtain and implement extended producer responsibility targets as per Schedule III and IV. Producers who have extended producer responsibility plans under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, must migrate under these rules according to the procedure established by the Central Pollution Control Board with the approval of the Steering Committee
Required Documents
Documents for Address Proof
Product Details including Model Numbers and Production / Import History
Documents for CPCB Certification
Registration Process
Process of EPR Authorization is divided into following steps:
