The Central Pollution Control Board issues the CPCB certificate for electronic waste management. CPCB was established to work on preventing pollution and control of pollution and wastes generated in India. There are also State Pollution Control Board in each state, and such state boards are regulated, assisted and guided by the CPCB. The CPCB also collects and publishes the relevant statistical and technical data related to pollution and the measures and guidelines required for avoiding and stopping such pollution.
Electronic waste management
The use of Electronics in India[1] is growing rapidly day by day. At present, with the growth of the use of electronic products, the number of electronic wastes generated in our country has also increased. India is one of the top countries in the case of disposal of electronic waste.
The Government has taken the initiative in electronic waste management. It has issued the guidelines and also shifted the burden of electronic waste control on producers. The Government has issued the E-waste Management Rules, notifying the guidelines to be followed to keep a check on electronics waste in India. And in order to keep a check on the disposal of e-waste in the environment, the Government has made it mandatory for producers, manufacturers, importers, etc., to have a CPCB certificate.
CPCB Certificate for E-waste management
The CPCB certificate is granted to Electrical and Electronic Equipment producers as listed in schedule I of the E-waste Management Rules, 2016.
Form I is provided under the E-waste Management Rules to apply for the CPCB certificate for electronic waste management. The Producer has to apply in the Form by providing the following requisite information:
- Name, address and contact details of the place from where the sale in the whole country is being managed.
- Name, address and all contact details of the authorized person.
- Name, address and contact details of the PRO (Producer Responsibility Organisation), only if the PRO is engaged.
- Year-wise details of EEE placed in the market.
The CPCB certificate is issued within 120 days from the date of completion of the application. The status of the application is displayed on the CPCB website.
Documents required for CPCB Certificate
The followings are the documents which are required for obtaining the CPCB certificate:
- EPR Plan: (General Scheme of collection, Channelisation of E-waste and its flaw chart, website information)
- Copy of permission from the appropriate department for selling their products.
- Copies of agreements with the dealers.
- Copies of agreement with the collection centres.
- Copies of agreement with the recyclers or the dismantlers.
- Copies of agreement with treatment, storage and disposal facility (TSDF), if applicable.
- Copy of permission or license from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
- Self-declaration on RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substance)
- Copy of agreement with PRO (Producer Responsibility Organisation), if applicable.
Apart from all the documents mentioned above, there are other requirements too. The checklist of such requirements for the evaluation of the Application of CPCB Certificate are:
- Producer and authorized person details, includingname, address, phone number, email, and other contact details.
- If applicable, then contact details of the PRO, including name, address and contact details.
- Estimated generation of WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)
- Budget for collection & channelization, schemes and awareness programme
- Details of proposed awareness programmes
- Details of RoHS compliance
- ERR Plan
Approval, Renewal and Amendment of CPCB Certificate
The appropriate officer scrutinizes the EPR plan, and then the Chairman of CPCB approves it. After such approval, the divisional head issues the CPCB Certificate.
For renewal or amendment of the existing CPCB certificate, then the member secretary of CPCB will become the approving authority for the CPCB certificate. And again, upon approval, the divisional head issues the renewed or amended CPCB certificate.
Other requirements before obtaining the CPCB Certificate for E-waste management
There are a few other important steps that are to be followed before applying for or obtaining the CPCB Certificate for E-waste management:
- Obtaining the Consent to Establish (No Objection Certificate) before establishing any industrial unit from the appropriate Environmental Pollution Office under the Pollution Conroy Law.
- Industries submit all the requisite documents with the necessary enclosures certificate from the industry department.
- The application then goes to the General Manager, District Manager, District Industrial Centre, Member Secretary of the appropriate Pollution Control Board or Regional Officer of the Pollution Control Board.
- Registration at Udhyog Aadhaar MSME.
- Approval from the Ministry of Environment in case of import of e-scarps as a part of e-waste recycling work.
- Submission of all required legal documents at the appropriate Pollution Control Board.
Conclusion
The Central Pollution Control Board issues the CPCB Certificate for E-waste management. The issue of such a certificate is a step toward the initiative of e-waste management. It is mandatory for producers, manufacturers, etc., to obtain the CPCB Certificate. The main aim of issuing such a CPCB certificate is to keep a check on the generation and disposal of e-waste in the environment. Such certificate is filed and granted according to the guidelines provided under the E-waste Management Rules.
Read our Article:The Importance of EPR – An Overview
