Introduction: Extended Producers Responsibility

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a legislative tool used by industrialized countries to encourage and promote the reuse, recycling, and ecologically responsible disposal of electronic and polymer waste. Under EPR, it is the responsibility of the producer of the goods to dispose of this rubbish. EPR regulations exist to ensure that manufacturers and producers are held accountable for decreasing waste generated by their products.

When a product approaches the end of its life cycle, the manufacturer is responsible for collecting the waste it generates. This can be accomplished in one of two ways: supporting the collecting (take-back process) of waste generated after the use of their products, or encouraging the recycling of such products in the most environmentally friendly manner feasible. Only recyclers who are registered with the local pollution control committee or board should be used or allotted to.

Manufacturers of e-waste, plastic waste, and polymer waste, as well as bulk users of these wastes, are issued EPRs by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

EPR's Applicability to E-Waste

Electric and electronic equipment waste producers, manufacturers, bulk consumers, importers, recyclers, dismantlers, and collection centers are all eligible for an EPR Authorization.

EPR for e-waste is applicable to the following:

• Electric and electronic equipment or plastics manufacturer
• Electrical and electronic equipment’s bulk user
• Electrical and electronic equipment’s bulk importer
• E-waste recyclers, dismantlers, refurbishers, and collection centers

The following are examples of electricity and electrical equipment:

These laws apply to IT and communication equipment, as well as consumer electrical and electronics such as televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, and air conditioners, as well as fluorescent and other mercury-containing bulbs.

According to a recent notice from the Central Pollution Control Board ('CPCB'), under the E-waste management rules of 2016, all manufacturers of electronic and electrical equipment must obtain extended producers responsibility permission (EPR authorization) from the CPCB. It can be obtained by filling out form 1 and submitting it.

To ensure that end-of-life EEE generated from the producers' products is channeled to authorized dismantlers/recyclers, authorization is required.

The EPR applies to the following:

Bulk consumers include central government or government agencies, public sector companies, banks, educational institutions, international organizations, international agencies, partnerships, and public or private companies registered under the Factories Act of 1948 (63 of 1948) and the Companies Act of 2013 (18 of 2013), as well as health-care facilities with a turnover of more than one crore or more than 20 employees.

Collection Centre means a center or collection point, or both, established by the producer individually or as an association to collect e-waste in order to channel the e-waste to the recycler and to play the role stated in the producer's Extended Producer Authorisation and have facilities in accordance with the Central Pollution Control Board's guidelines, including the collection center formed by the dismantler or recycler, which should form part of their authorization.

Dealer is referred to as any individual or company that purchases or receives electrical and electronic equipment, its components, consumables, parts, or spare parts for sale from producers specified in Schedule I of these Rules.

E-retailer is a person or business organization that sells its items over the Internet, telephone, or electronic network.

A manufacturer is an individual, organization, or business that has electrical and electronic equipment manufacturing facilities as defined in the Companies Act, 2013 (2013), or a business as defined in the Factories Act, 1948 (1948), or a Small and Medium Enterprise as defined in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 (2006).

Producer is a person who sells something, regardless of how they sell it, such as a distributor, a vendor, an e-retailer, and so on.

• manufactures and sells its own brand of electrical and electronic equipment, as well as its components, consumables, parts, and spare parts; or
• offers to sell electrical and electronic equipment that has been constructed under its own name, as well as the components, consumables, parts, and spare parts supplied by other manufacturers or suppliers; or
• provides for the sale of imported electrical and electronic equipment, as well as its components, consumables, parts, and spare parts;

Recycler is any person who engages in the recycling and reprocessing of electrical and electronic waste equipment, assemblies, or components, and who has the necessary facilities as defined by the Central Pollution Control Board rules.

Any firm or undertaking registered under the Factories Act of 1948 or the Companies Act of 1956, or both, or district industrial centers engaging in the refurbishment of used electrical and electronic equipment is referred to as a "refurbisher" for the purposes of those rules.

EPR's Applicability to Plastic Waste

Every producer, manufacturer, recycler, reuser, dismantler, and gram panchayat segregator of plastic products or garbage must take an EPR for plastic waste management.

All of the individuals listed above are accountable for recycling or returning as much plastic waste as they generate.

In practice, if a producer sells 100 metric tonnes of polymer packaging, it is responsible for processing and disposing of 100 metric tonnes of post-consumer plastic trash. The Producer Responsibility Organization can likewise be tasked with this task (PRO). The producer must pay a PRO for the storage and proper disposal of plastic garbage. The EPR has contributed to the development of novel product and packaging solutions, resulting in a reduction in plastic waste, because it has transferred the burden of waste management from governments to these product creators.

Benefits of EPR

Extended producer responsibility is frequently mentioned as a way to combat planned obsolescence since it financially incentivizes producers to design for recycling and make goods last longer. Governments may be alleviated of the financial strain of paying for and handling rubbish by shifting some of the cost responsibilities to the manufacturer, in addition to combating planned obsolescence.

One of the benefits of EPR is that it becomes more effective when countries who export E-waste are compelled to participate. Regulation of e-waste compels infrastructure to either cope with the garbage or adopt new manufacturing methods. As more countries implement these measures, it becomes more difficult for others to ignore the issues. The garbage piled up at ports when China barred the import of E-waste from the US; for example, the absence of infrastructure for recycling E-waste in the US has been possible due to the freedom to export and producers' indifference. As a result of the expanding e-waste dump, countries are being forced to build infrastructure and local and federal governments are being forced to put greater rules on enterprises.

The following advantages are available to EPR registration holders: 

• Improved market reputation as a result of the company's dedication to eliminating e-waste. 
• Access to a comprehensive framework that provides cost-effective e-waste management.
• Improve e-waste handling coordination with affiliated units.
• Create a trustworthy image for the worldwide market.