Introduction: EPR Certificate in India

EPR stands for Extended Producer Responsibility, and the EPR Certificate is compulsory for Indian Manufacturers or Imported products for E-waste management. Every manufacturer of electronic or electrical equipment has an obligation known as EPR, or Extended Producer Responsibility, to relocate or shift the e-waste to a licenced dismantler or recycler in order to ensure environmentally sound treatment of such trash. The Central Pollution Control Board, or CPCB, is responsible for issuing EPR authorization on behalf of the Indian Government’s Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

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The main objective of EPR is to circle it back into the system to recover resources embedded in the waste. Being approved and certified by CPCB the main responsibility is to renew, refuse, or grant EPR and provide certification to producers of electrical or electronic equipment.

The EPR Certificate concept is introduced to help improve waste recycling, collection, and Treatment. EPR includes a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach to preventing, cleaning up, and recycling plastic and E-waste. According to India Waste Management Rules, the manufacturer, importer, producer, and brand owners are held responsible for controlling Plastic and E-waste after the products life cycle has expired. 

These entities must obtain EPR Authorisation for e-waste/plastic waste management in India in order to do so. It places the responsibility for environmentally sound management, disposal, or recycling of plastic and E-waste on the EPR holder from the time waste enters the market until it is swiped off.

As a result, producers, importers, brand owners, and manufacturers in India can apply for an EPR licence. In India, EPR certification is required for all manufacturers and importers of e-waste and plastic waste. Under the EPR Authorization, Indian and foreign manufacturers or importers of electoral and electronic equipment must also obtain E-waste certification.

What is Extended Producer Respnsibility (EPR)?

EPR stands for Extended Producer Responsibility. EPR is an Environmental Protection policy that states that responsibility for sustainable and safe take-back, recycling, and disposal of products and packaging at the end of their lifecycle should remain with the manufacturers, importers, and retailers of those materials, rather than being passed on to the government, the general public, and the resource industry. It is an essential tool used by Governments all around the globe. The government passed the first E-Waste Management Law in 2011, based on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which placed the burden of responsibility on the producer to manage the final stages of the life of their product in an environmentally friendly manner by developing certain norms following the Central Pollution Board Control (CPBC) and State Pollution Control Board (SPCB). 

Read Our Blog: How to Apply Online For Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Authorization in India

The E-waste (Management) Rules, 2016, which came into effect on October 1, 2017, introduced the Electric and Electronic Equipment (EEE) and strengthened the existing rules. The new provisions under the rules introduced the idea of Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO). It was introduced to strengthen the rules.

Why is an EPR Certificate Important?

The EPR Authorization Certificate is a requirement for producers in the electronics sector. It is essential that a systematic method for the disposal of e-waste is followed and its disposal must be in a way that has no negative impact on the environment. EPR Certificate is issued by the Central Pollution Board (CPCB) under the MoEFCC. Following are a few benefits of being authorized under EPR.

• EPR makes sure that the disposal of E-waste and its management is done in a way that causes no hazard to the environment and also reduces any harmful effects caused.
• EPR ensures rather than increases the credibility of a product as it's issued by the CPCB.
• Any producer of electronic items or electronic parts and circuits is required to obtain an EPR Certificate. 
• Encourages Recycling
• EPR maintains an environment of sustainable development. It further reduces the generation of e-waste and makes sure that natural resources are not exploited.  
• EPR offers incentives for waste reduction at the source.
• Reduces packaging consumption and enables an efficient recycling system.
• With all the above in place, it will provide an environment that would be appropriate for society at large. 

Documents required for EPR Certification

• Proof of Address
• Contact information
• A photocopy of their PAN card
• Aadhar Card
• License or permission copies from relevant Municipal Authorities of-

1. PAN details 
2. GST details
3. Incorporation Certificate
4. IEC (for importers)

• Specifications of the goods, such as model numbers and import histories
• BIS License 
• Declaration stating compliance of Reduction of Hazardous Substance (RoHS)
• Specifics about the recycler/dismantlers
• Calculation of E-Waste Produced
• Information from the website illustrating the commitment to managing e-waste
• A copy of the agreement with the storage facilities, dealers, and recyclers.
• The estimated budget for the Electronic Producer Responsibility
• Details of the awareness program to make people aware of waste management.
• A detailed plan of how the producer will follow EPR.

How to apply for EPR Certificate?

• Documentation: Prepare the relevant essential documents required to be attached to the application.
• Format: Required format shall be followed while filling in the information in the application.
• Form 1: As per the E-Waste Management Rules, 2016, the application for EPR Authorization shall be made through Form 1. In case applying online, Form-1 is available on the CPCB website.
• Submission: The manufacturer/producer shall submit an application and the detailed EPR plan along with its fees to the relevant authority
• Verification: The CPCB shall assess and evaluate the application and attached documents. In case of any discrepancy, the concerned person shall ratify the same within 25 days.
• Grant: After competition and approval, the registration/authorization shall be issued by the CPCB Chairman.
• Refusal: As per the provisions of the CPCB, the application can be refused. In case the applicant is unable to revert within 45 days of the refusal or is unable to provide the information which may have likely caused the rejection, the application will entirely be returned. The applicant will be heard within one month from the date the application is returned before entirely refusing the application
• Cancellation: The CPCB may suspend or cancel an authorization anytime in case the producer does not act according to the provisions mentioned under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and the E-waste Management Rules, 2016. A notice would be provided to the producer within 25 days of the violation. The producer shall also be given an opportunity to the aggrieved to appeal against the suspension/cancellation.  

Format of the EPR Authorization Application

PART-A

• Full name and address including respective phone numbers and e-mail addresses of the producers.
• Authorized person’s full address, email, and fax number.
• Details mentioning all electrical and electric equipment produced and placed in the market year-wise for the period equal to its end life as per the provisions mentioned by the CPCB.

PART-B

Approximate generation of E-waste along with an estimated collection target in the form of a table (mentioned on the CPCB website).

PART-C

• A detailed overall scheme to achieve the obligations of EPR plus targets.
• The scheme shall mention all used as well as wasted electrical and electronic equipment.
• It could be through any dealer or centers, Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), etc.

The format of the scheme should be like this

1. General Scheme of Collecting e-waste
2. Flow-chart and segregation of the e-waste
3. Information on the website.

• Approximate costs of EPR and any other initiative or campaign. 

PART-D

• Compliances related to the Reduction of Hazardous Substances, if applicable.
• If being submitted, the producer shall self-attest a relevant declaration.
• A declaration stating and mentioning all technical documents.

PART-E

Essential documents needed

• EPR Scheme with relevant details
• Agreement Copies with Dealers, Collection Centres, Recyclers/dismantlers.
• Photocopy of the DGFT license
• Relevant ROHS Self-Declarations.

Duration of Issuance of EPR Certificate

After submitting the application form and documents following the e-waste provisions, and after the correction of any issues raised, the CPCB shall provide the EPR Registration within 120 days. The authorization granted shall sustain for 5 years.

How To Get An EPR Certificate?

• Research and understand the EPR regulations in your country or region. Each country or region may have different requirements for obtaining an EPR certificate.
• Identify the relevant government agency or organization responsible for issuing EPR certificates. This may be a ministry or department of environment, or a specific organization such as a recycling or waste management agency.
• Gather the required documentation and information. This may include documentation of your company's environmental management systems, information about the materials and products your company produces and their end-of-life management, and any other relevant information as specified by the responsible agency.
• Submit your application and required documentation to the relevant agency. This may be done online or through mail.
• Wait for the agency to review and approve your application. This process may take several weeks or months, depending on the agency and the complexity of your application.
• Once your application is approved, the agency will issue an EPR certificate to your company. This certificate will typically be valid for a certain period of time, after which it will need to be renewed.
• Keep your EPR certificate up-to-date by renewing it before it expires and by meeting all the requirements set by the responsible agency.

Conclusion

EPR regulations are in place to make sure that producers and manufacturers shoulder the duty of reducing the impact of the trash their goods generate. When a product reaches the end of its life cycle, the manufacturers are required to recover the waste that was created by that product. This can be accomplished by supporting the recycling of such products in the most environmentally friendly way feasible or by encouraging the collecting (take-back process) of the waste generated after the consumption of their products. Only recyclers who are registered with the relevant Pollution control committee or Board should do or be given recycling tasks.