Battery Waste Management Rules 2022

The Battery Waste Management Rules 2022 establish comprehensive regulations for the collection, recycling and management of all types of batteries in India, including automotive, portable, industrial and electric vehicle batteries. The regulations aim to create a circular economy for battery materials while ensuring environmentally sound management of battery waste. They place significant emphasis on proper documentation, tracking and verification of recycling activities.

The Rules follow the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), requiring that producers register with the Central Pollution Control Board and are responsible for collecting and recycling/refurbishing waste batteries and meeting specific collection and recycling targets that increase over time. Producers cannot send collected batteries to landfills or for incineration.

For Electric Vehicle Batteries specifically, producers are required to meet EPR targets of collection and recycling and/or refurbishment for each different type of battery.

• Recycling is defined to mean recycling of battery materials like lead, nickel, lithium, nickel, cobalt, plastics, rubber, glass etc. 
• Collection and recycling targets are differentiated by vehicle type (two-wheeler, three-wheeler, four-wheeler)
• By 2027-28, producers must ensure 70% collection of EV batteries placed in the market
• Recovery targets for EV batteries increase from 70% in 2024-25 to 90% by 2026-27 (as a percentage of the dry weight of the battery)
• Producers must incorporate minimum percentages of domestically recycled materials, starting at 5% in 2027-28 and increasing to 20% by 2030-31
• Producers are required to ensure that waste batteries collected are sent for recycling or refurbishing and not for landfilling or incineration
• For new batteries, producers are required to meet targets for the minimum use of domestically recycled materials. 

The rules mandate minimum material recovery percentages for different battery types:

• EV and portable batteries: 90% recovery by 2026-27
• Automotive and industrial batteries: 60% recovery by 2026-27

Key Implementation Mechanisms:

• Centralised online portal for registration and reporting
• Regular monitoring and auditing by pollution control boards
• Environmental compensation for non-compliance
• Mandatory registration for all producers, recyclers and refurbishers
• Detailed labelling and tracking requirement

Producers that fail to meet the EPR targets are subject to a levy of environmental compensation (calculated on the basis of the cost of handling, collection, and transportation of waste batteries, and the processing cost for recovery of battery materials). Recyclers that fail to meet their obligations under the Rules may be subject to a levy of environmental compensation, or cancellation of registration, or punishment under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (including imprisonment up to 5 years, fine up to INR 100,000 i.e. ~EUR 1100, or both).

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