Sri Vijaya Puram, August 17: The Andaman and Nicobar Pollution Control Committee (ANPCC) has initiated steps to strengthen the implementation of the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, and has invited the public to provide information about lead-acid battery (LAB) recycling units operating in the Islands. The move forms part of efforts to ensure compliance with revised Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) credit norms issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The initiative follows directions issued by the CPCB regarding EPR credit generation under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022. As part of the implementation process, the ANPCC, functioning under the Department of Science and Technology, has called upon residents to share details of any LAB recyclers operating in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
According to the ANPCC, the action follows decisions taken during the fourth Implementation Committee meeting held under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022. The committee noted that EPR credit generation is currently permitted for recyclers producing both Re-Melted Lead (RML) and Re-refined Lead (RRL).
The committee observed that Re-Melted Lead is an intermediate product requiring further refining before it becomes Re-refined Lead, which is the battery-grade material used in the manufacture of new lead-acid batteries.
To facilitate the transition, a one-year window has been provided to lead-acid battery recyclers to upgrade their facilities for the production of Re-refined Lead. After the transition period ends, EPR credit generation will no longer be available for the production of Re-Melted Lead and will instead be restricted exclusively to recyclers producing Re-refined Lead.
As part of the compliance exercise, the ANPCC has appealed to the public to assist in identifying any lead-acid battery recycling units functioning within the Islands. The information will support the implementation of the revised regulatory framework governing battery waste management and EPR credit generation.
Residents can submit details to the Member Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar Pollution Control Committee, Department of Science and Technology, A&N Administration, Dollygunj, Sri Vijaya Puram. Information must be submitted on or before August 20, 2026.
The ANPCC has also provided an option for electronic submission, allowing members of the public to share information through the official email address: dstpcc-andamans@and.nic.in.
The exercise forms part of the implementation of the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, aimed at ensuring compliance with the revised EPR framework governing the recycling of lead-acid batteries.
