Lok Sabha Question No. 3592 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-11
Subject: Electronic Waste Management
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Dr. Mohammad Jawed, Shri Gurjeet Singh Aujla

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3592 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2025

## Electronic Waste Management

## 3592.  SHRI GURJEET SINGH AUJLA: DR. MOHAMMAD JAWED:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  plans  to  handle  zero-value  electronic  waste  including discarded mobile phones, computers, UPS systems, various batteries of lithium/acidbased etc.;
- (b) the manner in which the toxic battery fluid is being disposed off;
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  e-waste  has  become  a  major  factor  for environmental pollution;
- (d) if so, the estimated quantity of e-waste generated annually in the country along with the steps taken/being taken to control pollution caused by such e-waste;
- (e) whether there are any norms for disposal of e-waste, if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the details of measures taken/being taken by the Government for national-level audit, clear  policy  roadmap  to  ensure  India's  electronic  future  does  not  come  at  cost  of environmental disaster?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) &  (b) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  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 1 st  April, 2023. These Rules are regulating 106 Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) listed in ScheduleI of the said Rules, including discarded mobile phones, computers and UPS systems.

MoEF&CC has notified the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 on 24 th  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.  Under  the  Rules,  the  producers,  including  importers,  have  been  given  mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) targets for collection and recycling or refurbishment of waste batteries. EPR framework under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 prohibits disposal of waste batteries in landfills. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for lead acid battery recycling, specifying the measures for safe draining of hazardous fluids and its disposal and repurposing use in other industrial processes. Centralized online EPR portal has been developed for registration of producers and recyclers,  exchange  of  EPR  certificates  between  producers  and  recyclers  to  fulfil  the  EPR obligations of the producer.

(c) to (f)  CPCB estimates the e-waste generation at national level, based on the countrywide sales data provided by the registered producers, and average life of notified EEE, as mandated under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022. As per the CPCB, e-waste generated in the country during the Financial Year (FY) 2023-24 and 2024-25 is given below:

| Financial Year (FY)   | Total e-waste generated [tonnes/annum]   |
|-----------------------|------------------------------------------|
| 2023-2024             | 12,54,286.55                             |
| 2024-2025             | 13,97,955.59                             |

E-Waste  (Management) Rules,  2022,  provide  for  managing  e-waste  in  an  environmentally sound manner and putting in place an improved EPR regime for e-waste recycling wherein all the  manufacturers,  producers,  refurbishers  and  recyclers  are  required  to  register  on  portal developed by the CPCB. The new provisions facilitate and channelize the informal sector to formal sector for doing business and ensuring recycling of e-waste in an environmentally sound manner.  These  Rules  also  promote  Circular  Economy  through  EPR  regime  and  scientific recycling/disposal  of  the  e-waste.  Further,  CPCB  has  taken  following  steps  for  effective management of E-Waste Rules as under:

- (i) An online E-Waste EPR portal has been developed by CPCB, wherein entities such as producers, manufacturers, recyclers and refurbishers of the e-waste are required to be registered.
- (ii) CPCB  has  developed  guidelines  for  the  scientific  and  environmentally  sound management of e-waste. The guidelines detail the procedures and facilities in terms of machineries and pollution control devices required for the recycling of e-waste in an environmentally sound manner.
- (iii) An Action Plan for implementation of E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 is in place and  the  same  is  being  implemented  by  all  the  State  Pollution  Control  Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution  Control Committees  (PCCs)  in  their  respective States/UTs. SPCBs/PCCs  are  submitting  quarterly  progress  report.  The  Action  Plan  makes  it incumbent upon  SPCBs/PCCs to carry  out  regular  drives for  checking  informal  ewaste activities and help them to enter into formal sector.
- (iv) The registered entities submit their compliance through Quarterly and Annual Returns on the E-waste Portal.
- (v) The Rules have provided verification and audit by the Central Pollution Control Board or through a designated agency, to verify compliance of these Rules through random inspection  and  periodic  audit,  as  deemed  appropriate,  so  as  to  take  action  against violations of these Rules.
- (vi) Environmental Compensation (EC) Guidelines under E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 have been developed for levying EC on any entity in case of violation of any of the provision of these Rules and guidelines issued hereunder.
- (vii) CPCB issued the following Directions to SPCBs/PCCs for effective implementation of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022:
- (a) Directions dated 06.09.2022 under Section 18 (1) (b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981  regarding  checking  informal  e-waste  activities,  verification  of  authorized dismantlers/recyclers of E-Waste and drives for mass awareness.
- (b) Directions dated 30.01.2024 under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 regarding registration of producers, manufacturers, recyclers and refurbishers on the Online E-Waste EPR Portal.
- (c) Directions dated 14.02.2024 under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for ensuring generation of EPR Certificates by E-Waste recyclers towards fulfilment of Producers EPR obligations for the FY 2023-24.

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