E-waste rules to be effective from April 1, 2023

Specific guidelines issued for solar PV manufacturers

The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change would be in effect from the 1st April, 2023.

The circular issued specifies chapter-wise rules and regulations, responsibilities, procedures, modes and ways to tackle e-waste management.

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Specifically, the rules shall adhere to every manufacturer, producer rebuilder, dismantler and recycler indulged in the manufacture, sale, transfer, purchase, refurbishing, dismantling, recycling and processing of e-waste or electrical and electronic equipment including their components, consumables, parts and spares which make the product operational.

The guidelines applicable to the solar photo-voltaic modules or panels or cells have been specified. The recycling schedules are administered by attributable certificates – which is in consent with the recycling obligations of solar PV manufacturers. Every manufacturer and producer of solar photo-voltaic modules or panels or cells would have to adhere to the following:

• Ascertain the registration on the portal and also retrieve solar photo-voltaic modules or panels or cells waste generated up to the year 2034-2035 as provided by the Central Pollution Control Board
• Ascertain that the stockpile of solar photo-voltaic modules or panels or cells needs to be placed on portal consent with standard methods and policies provided by the Central Pollution Control Board.
• A recycler of solar photo-voltaic modules or panels or cells would be required for the recovery of material as provided by the Central Pollution Control Board.

The government has prohibited the utilization of hazardous and toxic substances in manufacturing electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) following deaths due to exposure to radioactive matter. The rules authorize to turn down the use of lead, mercury, and cadmium among others in the manufacturing of electronic equipment that has an injurious impact on human health and the environment.