NITI Aayog's Proposal on Circular Economy for E-waste and Lithium-ion Batteries
NITI Aayog, in collaboration with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), has released a report focusing on enhancing the circular economy framework for E-waste and Lithium-ion Battery scraps in India.
Key Proposals and Recommendations
- Incentives under PLI Scheme:
- Additional incentives proposed for manufacturers of Advanced Chemistry Cells under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to encourage the use of recycled materials.
- Expansion of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR):
- Coverage to be expanded to include additional high-value metals beyond gold, copper, iron, and aluminum.
- Aim to boost investment and innovation in recovering other valuable and critical minerals.
- Lithium-ion Battery Scrap Management:
- Integrate EPR-GSTN portal for efficient invoice verification.
- Strengthen EPR enforcement to track and ensure accountability.
- Notify chemistry-wise metal composition in Lithium-ion Batteries.
Strategic Benefits
- Converting E-waste and Lithium-ion Battery scraps into strategic resource reservoirs.
- Reducing dependency on volatile global supply chains.
- Consolidating India's leadership in sustainable and clean-tech value chains.
Standards and Guidelines
- BIS Certification Update:
- IS 16046 to include mandatory chemical composition testing for recycled Lithium-ion Batteries.
- Guidelines for Waste Batteries:
- Comprehensive guidelines for collection, storage, transportation, refurbishment, and recycling.
- Establishment of purity standards and additional incentives under the PLI scheme.
Economic Impact
The report estimates India's annual economic value of E-waste at Rs 51,000 crore, with 60% being extractable. However, only 18% of this potential is currently captured due to inefficiencies in the informal sector.
