Leading battery manufacturers have urged the Centre to exempt self-recycled batteries from mandatory recycling certificate purchases, warning the proposed system could discourage investments in recycling infrastructure.
Key Highlights:
- Major battery manufacturers have opposed the proposed recycling certificate requirement.
- Industry seeks exemption for batteries recycled through captive or authorised recycling facilities.
- Companies argue they should not purchase certificates for batteries they already recycle.
- Proposed online certificate trading platform has raised concerns across the sector.
- Manufacturers warn the policy could discourage future investments in recycling infrastructure.
- Industry has urged the government to reconsider the implementation framework.
Major lead-acid battery manufacturers have urged the Central Government to reconsider the proposed recycling certificate framework, arguing that companies recycling their own batteries should not be required to purchase additional recycling certificates.
According to industry representatives, manufacturers that collect used batteries and recycle them either through captive recycling facilities or authorised third-party recyclers already bear the full cost of the recycling process. They believe imposing an additional certificate purchase requirement would create unnecessary financial and regulatory burdens.
The concerns come as the government plans to introduce an online marketplace for trading battery recycling certificates under the extended producer responsibility (EPR) framework.
Industry players have cautioned that the proposed mechanism may reduce incentives for companies to invest in advanced recycling plants and infrastructure. Instead of encouraging greater recycling capacity, they argue the system could make certificate purchases a more economical option than investing in sustainable recycling operations.
Battery manufacturers have requested that self-recycled batteries be exempt from mandatory certificate purchases while continuing to support the broader objective of responsible waste management and environmental compliance.
The industry maintains that any new recycling framework should reward companies making direct investments in recycling infrastructure and promote circular economy practices rather than imposing duplicate compliance costs.
