Previous Year Question

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) was introduced in India as an important feature of the e-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011.

These Rules were notified under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and came into force on 1 May 2012.

Under EPR, the responsibility of a producer of electrical and electronic equipment continues even after the manufacture and sale of the product.

The producer must arrange for the collection of e-waste generated after use and its channelization to authorized dismantlers or recyclers.

Its objective is to ensure environmentally safe collection, transportation, dismantling, recycling and disposal of e-waste.

EPR also encourages producers to improve product design, reduce the use of toxic substances and increase recyclability.

E-waste may contain hazardous substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium.

Informal and unsafe recycling can release these substances into soil, water and air and harm human health.

The e-Waste Management Rules, 2016 further strengthened collection targets and the producer-responsibility framework.

The Bio-medical Waste Rules, 1998 were mainly concerned with the segregation, treatment and disposal of biomedical waste generated by healthcare institutions.

The Recycled Plastic Rules, 1999 concerned the manufacture and use of plastics, but they are not the correct answer for the introduction of EPR among the given options.

The Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011 concern food safety and quality, not producer responsibility for e-waste.

In later years, EPR was also adopted in the management of plastic waste, battery waste and other product-based waste streams.