Extended Producer Responsibility

Extended Producer Responsibility

The new E-Waste (Management) Rules 2016 require bulk consumers, producers, and makers of all electrical and electronic equipment to bid using their EPR. These criteria clearly suggest that a target has been set for a bulk producer based on their market share to channel their e-waste into responsible recycling.

Extended maker Responsibility (EPR) refers to any maker of electrical or electronic equipment's responsibility for e-waste channelization and environmentally sound waste disposal. Extended Producer Responsibility may include implementing a take-back system, establishing collection centers, or both, and reaching agreements with authorised dismantlers or recyclers, either individually or collectively, through a Producer Responsibility Organisation recognized by the producer or producers.

We are guided by our return-to-value philosophy and are committed to working toward a circular economy. We are committed to providing you with the best solution for reaching your goals.

What is the role of a PRO?

We are guided by our return-to-value concept and are aiming to create a circular economy. We are committed to providing you with the best solution for attaining your objectives.

To fulfill the responsibility of take back and to cover costs associated with logistics, recycling, and disposal of hazardous substances, the directive also established an Advance Recycling Fee (ARF), which manufacturers are permitted to collect from customers at the time of sale. The ARF collected remains earmarked to meet the above obligations on the part of the producers/importers, and after collection, either on their own or with the assistance of third-party logistics, the end-of-life equipment is sent to certified recyclers for environmentally friendly disposal in accordance with the norms established by the above directive.

The proposed draft Rules for e-waste management announced by the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF), India, also suggests that producers of electrical and electronic equipment be responsible for taking back their products from consumers at the end of the product's life or whenever the consumer wishes to return the product for disposal, similar to the EU model. The proposed Rules include a reference to the Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS). This financial instrument is used in several nations to purchase a variety of things, including WEEE.

Once the proposed amendments in the present Rules will be in force, producers will be responsible to take their products back with certain targets and hand over the same to authorized / registered recyclers for final disposal. Looking at the Indian scenario, where every man-made item retains value even after the worst possible use, the applicability of ARF / DRS has limitations; however, if the same is enforced through the regulatory framework, which is most likely, producers will be able to collect DRS / ARF from consumers.