Waste management is an important issue, especially with plastics, e-waste and battery waste. In India, the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) shifts responsibility for waste management from municipalities to producers, importers and other stakeholders. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has developed a framework to ensure responsible product life cycle management. A key component of this is the Extended Producer Responsibility Electronic Trading and Settlement Platform (EPRETP), which facilitates the trading of EPR certificates. These certifications help ensure transparency and enable stakeholders to meet their recycling and waste management goals.

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Understanding Guidelines on Authorization of EPRETP Operator and Functioning of EPRETP

To support the implementation of the EPR, the MoEF&CC has formulated a comprehensive set of guidelines on the authorization of the EPRETP operator and the functioning of the EPRETP. These guidelines are designed to ensure that the platform is run by qualified, experienced, and well-equipped entities that are capable of maintaining the transparency, security, and effective trading of EPR certificates. The purpose of the EPR authorization process is to ensure that only entities that can uphold regulatory requirements and operational standards are entrusted with managing the Electronic Trading and Settlement Platform. The guidelines for the authorization of EPR Electronic Trading and Settlement Platforms (ETPs) encompass eligibility criteria, platform functions, required infrastructure, and how the platform should function to meet the needs of various stakeholders in the EPR ecosystem.

Functioning of EPRETP (Extended Producer Responsibility Exchange Trading Platform)

The functions of EPRETP includes:

• Facilitating EPR Certificate Trading: The primary function of EPRETP is to facilitate the trading of EPR certificates. These certificates are issued to entities that fulfill their EPR obligations, which can then be traded to help others meet their obligations.
• Certificate Generation and Transfer: The platform works in coordination with the Centralized EPR Portal developed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to generate and transfer certificates.
• Price Discovery Mechanism: EPRETP supports transparent price discovery by providing real-time information on supply and demand. Sellers specify the price, while buyers set their maximum price. This ensures a fair trading process.
• Financial Transaction Support: The platform ensures secure transactions for EPR certificates. This includes integrating payment systems for smooth funds transfer between buyers and sellers.
• Data Synchronization with CPCB: All data on trades, certificates, and user interactions on the platform are synchronized with the CPCB’s centralized database, ensuring compliance and regulatory oversight.
• Preventing Fraudulent Certificates: EPRETP ensures that expired or invalid certificates are filtered out and are not available for trade, helping prevent fraud.

Also Read: How to Get EPR Certificate for Import?

Key Components of EPRETP

The successful functioning of the EPRETP depends on several key components that ensure its operational efficiency and compliance with regulations:

• Trading Mechanism: The platform supports trading among registered entities such as producers, recyclers, and waste processors. All transactions, including certificate generation, trading, and settlement, are carried out through a centralized system managed by the CPCB.
• Transparent Price Discovery: EPRETP facilitates a transparent price discovery mechanism. It ensures that the prices of EPR certificates are based on real-time market demand and supply, ensuring fair competition and preventing market manipulation.
• Real-time Data Synchronization: The platform synchronizes all data with the CPCB’s Centralized EPR Portal, ensuring that only valid and non-expired certificates are available for trade.
• Secure Transactions: All financial transactions on the platform are secure, with real-time settlement and validation of transactions. The platform also maintains a high level of cybersecurity to protect data and funds.
• Integration with Regulatory Systems: EPRETP integrates with the regulatory framework provided by the CPCB. The platform ensures that all trades comply with the EPR guidelines, including reporting, auditing, and compliance checks.
• User Management: The platform supports efficient user management, ensuring that only authorized entities can participate in trading. It also maintains an audit trail for all activities, ensuring accountability.
• Automated Audit Trails: Every transaction and trading activity is recorded, creating an audit trail that ensures the platform’s operations are transparent and accountable.
• Dispute Resolution: EPRETP includes mechanisms for resolving disputes, ensuring that any conflicts between participants can be addressed quickly and fairly.

Entities and Types of Transactions on EPRETP

The Extended Producer Responsibility Electronic Trading & Settlement Platform facilitates transactions across various waste categories, with distinct entities involved in each transaction type.

• Plastic Waste: The key stakeholders in plastic waste management include producers, importers, brand owners, recyclers, and local bodies. These entities can transfer EPR certificates to one another to fulfill their recycling and waste management responsibilities. 
• E-Waste: The primary entities involved in e-waste management are producers, recyclers, and refurbishers. In this category, recyclers are authorized to transfer EPR registration certificates to producers, ensuring proper recycling. Additionally, refurbishers can transfer refurbishing certificates to producers, thereby supporting the recycling and reuse of electronic items.
• Waste Tyres: In the case of waste tyres, the entities involved include producers, recyclers, and retreaders. Recyclers and retreaders can transfer relevant certificates to tyre producers, helping them meet their waste management obligations. This ensures that tyres are either recycled or retreaded, reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
• Used Oil: The transaction of EPR certificates in used oil waste involves producers and recyclers. The certificate exchange is restricted to recyclers and producers, ensuring that used oil is properly collected, recycled, and reused in line with environmental standards.
• Battery Waste: For battery waste, the key stakeholders include producers, recyclers, and refurbishers. Only recyclers and refurbishers are allowed to transfer EPR certificates to producers, ensuring that batteries are properly recycled or refurbished before being reused.

Categories of EPR Certificates

The platform’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) certificates are organized into distinct categories to address the specific needs of various waste streams. Each category is designed to ensure effective waste management and recycling practices:

• Plastic Waste: EPR certificates for plastic waste include categories focused on recycling, end-of-life management, the use of recycled content, and reuse. These certificates help facilitate the sustainable handling of plastic materials.
• E-Waste: This category includes certificates for materials like iron, aluminium, copper, gold, and refurbishing processes. These certificates support the responsible disposal and recovery of electronic waste.
• Waste Tyre: Certificates for waste tyres are divided into types based on reclaimed products such as reclaimed rubber, recovered carbon black, crumb rubber, pyrolysis oil, and retreading. These ensure that tyre waste is managed in an environmentally friendly way.
• Used Oil: Categories under used oil include recycling and co-processing. These certificates promote the recovery of energy and resources from used oil through various sustainable processes.
• Battery Waste: EPR certificates for battery waste are based on materials like lead, lithium, cobalt, nickel, and other metals. The certificates are available in varying denominations based on weight or quantity, helping ensure proper recycling and disposal of hazardous battery materials.

Eligibility Criteria for Appointment of EPR Electronic Trading and Settlement Platform (ETP)

To operate as an EPR Electronic Trading and Settlement Platform, an entity must meet several eligibility criteria:

• General Eligibility Criteria: The applicant must be a company limited by shares, incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956/2013. The Memorandum of Association (MoA) should specify the objective of operating Electronic Trading and Settlement Platforms (ETP). The company must have at least 10 years of experience in the trading platform industry and 2 years of association with national-level government or public sector trading systems.
• Financial Criteria: The applicant should have a minimum annual turnover of ₹50 crores for the last 3 years, specifically from the trading platform business. Additionally, the company must maintain a positive net worth of at least ₹10 crores on average during the same period.
• Technological Requirements: The applicant must own and operate the proposed ETP system, which should be capable of handling 50 lakh transactions per year or 1 lakh users. The platform should also demonstrate expertise in core functionalities like user management, trading engines, and risk management.
• Conflict of Interest: Entities subject to EPR obligations cannot operate as ETP providers. Ownership restrictions apply, with no entity holding more than 50% in an obligated entity.
• Operational Standards: The ETP must meet high standards of security, scalability, and compliance with ISO/IEC 27001. Real-time dissemination of trade information is required, and the platform may outsource operations to an associate company.

List of Documents to Be Submitted Along with the Application

Entities seeking authorization must submit the following documents to CPCB:

1. Memorandum and Articles of Association of the company
2. Audited balance sheet for the immediately preceding completed financial year
3. Copies of the annual report and/or audited accounts for the last three years (or lesser period if applicable)
4. Project report, including:

• Constitution of the proposed ETP
• Shareholding pattern for equity holders in the ETP
• Business plan, including funding sources
• Management, administrative & governing structure of the ETP
• Infrastructural facilities available or proposed
• Details of the proposed technology to be adopted
• Mechanism of operation of the ETP platform

5. Draft rules of the proposed ETP, including:

• Management of the ETP and business transaction methods
• Draft bye-laws, rules, and business rules covering aspects specified in the EPR Trading Guidelines by CPCB

Grant of Authorization to Operate ETP

Once an application is reviewed and deemed eligible, CPCB may grant authorization to operate the ETP. The authorization is subject to meeting the criteria and compliance with CPCB regulations. Multiple operators may be authorized if needed based on the volume of transactions.

EPRTP Authorization Fees, Charges and Renewal

The ETP operator must pay an annual registration fee to the regulator, with a transaction fee charged on every trade conducted on the platform. The transaction fee is typically 4%, split between the buyer and seller. A percentage of the fees is remitted to the regulator. The authorization for operating the EPR platform is valid for 15 years, with an option for renewal. Operators must apply for renewal one year before the expiration of the authorization.

Conclusion

The Extended Producer Responsibility Electronic Trading and Settlement Platform (EPRETP) plays an important role in India’s waste management framework by ensuring transparency and accountability in the trading of EPR certificates. Through a structured set of guidelines and rigorous eligibility criteria for operators, the platform facilitates efficient, secure and regulated transactions that are consistent with environmental goals. By supporting diverse waste categories such as plastics, e-waste, tyres, used oil and battery waste, EPRETP contributes to sustainable recycling and waste management practices. The authorization process ensures that only qualified entities manage the platform, increasing trust among stakeholders. As the platform evolves, it will continue to enhance India’s efforts in responsible waste management and environmental protection.