NEW DELHI: Starting this April, automobile manufacturers will be required to recycle at least 8% of the steel used in vehicles sold during the 2005-06 period. This mandate is part of the new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) norms notified by the Ministry of Environment. The recycling target will progressively increase to 18% by 2035-36.
The provision is tied to the lifecycle of vehicles sold 20-21 years ago, aligning with the typical end-of-life timeline. As per the recently notified Environment Protection (End-of-Life Vehicles) Rules, manufacturers are now responsible for ensuring the safe collection and recycling of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) in compliance with annual targets. They must also acquire EPR certificates from authorized scrapping facilities to demonstrate compliance.
Manufacturers are further required to raise consumer awareness, introduce buy-back schemes, and register their activities on a centralized portal managed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The rule states, “Every producer shall take measures for sustainable production of vehicles, including compliance with guidelines issued by the central board.”
Officials highlighted that these regulations aim to formalize vehicle scrapping through Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs). Currently, India has 82 RVSFs, with plans to increase the number to 100 within three months. Last week, the Ministry of Road Transport announced that all states, except smaller northeastern states, will notify policies for establishing RVSFs within two months.
Under the new rules, the CPCB will issue EPR certificates via an online portal to RVSFs, based on the weight of steel recovered from processed ELVs or related steel scrap. Automobile companies can purchase these certificates through the portal to fulfill their obligations.
The regulations also extend to other stakeholders, including vehicle owners, bulk consumers owning more than 100 vehicles, RVSFs, collection centers, and automated testing centers (ATCs), ensuring proper disposal and recycling of old vehicles.
