Waste Management – SWM Rules, EWM Rules, etc

CPCB plans to check violations in Plastic Waste Trading Regime 

Prelims Only | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: CPCB, EPR Program

Why in the News?

  • The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has started a national audit of about 800 plastic-waste recyclers across India.
    • This action follows the discovery that four firms in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat issued nearly 600,000 fake certificates under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programme.

About Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB): Overview

  • The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is a statutory organization established in September 1974.
  • It was constituted under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
  • CPCB is also entrusted with powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
  • It serves as a technical arm of the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, implementing the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Principal Functions:

  • Water Pollution Control:
    • Promote the cleanliness of streams and wells in different states by preventing, controlling, and abating water pollution.
    • Oversee the National Water Quality Monitoring Program to collect, collate, and disseminate technical and statistical data relating to water pollution.
  • Air Pollution Control:
    • Improve the quality of air and prevent, control, or abate air pollution in the country.
    • Conduct air quality monitoring as part of air quality management.
    • Implement the National Air Monitoring Programme (NAMP) to determine current air quality status and trends, regulate pollution from industries, and provide background air quality data for industrial siting and town planning.

Key Initiatives and Programs:

  • National Air Monitoring Programme (NAMP): Established to monitor air quality status and trends, and to control and regulate industrial pollution to meet air quality standards.
  • National Air Quality Index (NAQI): Provides real-time air quality data and trends.
  • Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP): A set of measures to be taken based on the severity of air pollution levels.
  • Clean Air Campaign: Initiatives aimed at reducing air pollution through public awareness and actionable measures.

Role in Data Management:

  • CPCB collects, collates, and disseminates technical and statistical data related to water and air pollution.
  • Provides necessary data for regulatory and planning purposes, including industrial siting and urban planning.

What is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programme?

  • Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) means the responsibility of a producer for the environmentally sound management of the product until the end of its life.
  • India had first introduced EPR in 2011 under the:
  1. Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011
  2. E-Waste Management and Handling Rules, 2011.
  • The EPR scheme requires businesses using plastic packaging to recycle a certain percentage of the plastic used in the previous two years.

Implementation of EPR:

  • Registration: Producers must register with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and submit an EPR plan.
  • Collection Mechanisms: Producers set up collection centers, return schemes, or partner with authorized recyclers to manage waste.
  • Documentation: Producers are required to maintain detailed records of waste collected and processed and submit regular reports to the CPCB.
  • Compliance Audits: The CPCB conducts audits to ensure that producers comply with EPR requirements.

Function of EPR Certificates:

  • Registered plastic waste recyclers generate EPR certificates by recycling plastic waste.
  • Every tonne of plastic recycled generates a certificate.
    • According to a CPCB report in May, nearly 3.7 million tonnes of recycled plastic generated certificates.
  • In 2022-23, about 18,000 companies using plastic packaging were registered with the CPCB, aiming to recycle about 3.3 million tonnes.

Compliance and Targets:

  • Companies must recycle 70% of the packaging used in the previous two financial years for 2022-23 and 100% for 2023-24. Non-compliance with these targets can result in fines.
  • EPR certificates are uploaded on a dedicated portal maintained by the CPCB, allowing recyclers and buyers to trade online.

PYQ:

[2019] In India, ‘extended producer responsibility’ was introduced as an important feature in which of the following?

(a) The Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998

(b) The Recycled Plastic (Manufacturing and Usage) Rules, 1999

(c) The e-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011

(d) The Food Safety and Standard Regulations, 2011

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