Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Issues related to EPR;
Why in the News?
The Indian government’s 2022 “Extended Producer Responsibility” guidelines mark progress, but a recent report states that stronger measures are needed to fully enforce the “polluter pays” principle in plastic waste management, per a recent CSE report.
What is the CSE report?
What is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)?
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Extent of the misuse of EPR certificates in India’s plastic recycling industry
- Fake Certificates: An assessment by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and findings from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed the generation of over 700,000 fake recycling certificates, indicating widespread fraud among plastic recyclers.
- Certificate Inflation: Some processors and recyclers reported volumes vastly exceeding their registered capacities.
- For example, cement plants engaged in end-of-life co-processing claimed to process 335.4 million tonnes annually, despite an actual capacity of only 11.4 million tonnes.
- Undermined Trust: Fraudulent activities result in artificially low certificate prices, undermining the credibility of the EPR system and making it difficult to accurately track plastic waste management.
How does this impact environmental compliance and plastic waste management?
- Underreported Waste Generation: PIBOs introduced 23.9 million tonnes of plastic packaging in April 2022, translating to an annual waste generation of approximately 8 million tonnes. However, CPCB’s estimate of 4.1 million tonnes of plastic waste generation annually indicates significant underreporting.
- Limited Stakeholder Participation: The absence of key contributors, such as urban local bodies and informal waste collectors from the EPR system, reduces traceability and leaves much of the waste management burden on local governments.
- Compromised Recycling Integrity: Due to low-cost fraudulent certificates, genuine recycling efforts suffer from underfunding and inadequate regulation, jeopardizing sustainable plastic waste management efforts and hindering the implementation of the “polluter pays” principle.
What measures can be implemented to improve oversight and accountability within the EPR framework?
- Inclusion of Informal Sector: Recognizing and formalizing the role of informal waste collectors and urban local bodies within the EPR framework could enhance waste collection, segregation, and recycling rates, creating a more transparent value chain.
- Combatting Fraud: Strengthening the auditing and certification process to identify and remove fraudulent recyclers and processors, supported by stricter legal and financial penalties, would help deter misuse.
- Transparent Reporting: Enhancing the EPR portal to ensure accurate data collection on plastic waste generation and disposal, and setting fair prices for recycling certificates to prevent undervaluation.
- Standardizing Products: By mandating uniform standards for plastic packaging materials and designs, recyclability could be improved, reducing contamination and making recycling more effective.
- Enhanced Monitoring and Accountability: Strengthening CPCB and State Pollution Control Boards’ (SPCBs) monitoring capacity and ensuring consistent enforcement of guidelines at both the state and central levels.
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