Pollution Control Board

CPCB Producer Responsibility Organization

calendar16 May, 2022
timeReading Time: 4 Minutes
CPCB Producer Responsibility Organization

A CPCB Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) is a collective body that operates nationally, taking charge of meeting all required laws of producers on their behalf and against a financial contribution on their part. It takes the Producer’s legal responsibility the moment a producer joins it and thus ensures that all the laws are fulfilled.   

An overview of CPCB Producer Responsibility Organization 

The CPCB has established the Producer Responsibility Organization for plastic, packaging and E-waste. The CPCB Producer Responsibility Organization deals with end-of-life product management and recycling. It is mandatory for producers to comply with policies formulated by the CPCB. 

The CPCB has recently introduced the Producer Responsibility Organization. The Producers are made responsible for end-of-life management for their products, and the producers now can delegate this responsibility to the Producer Responsibility Organization. 

The Producer Responsibility Organization shall comply with the Environment (Protection) Act[1], other Waste Management Rules, and other rules, regulations, or guidelines made thereunder. 

CPCB Producer Responsibility Organization is a professional organization that is handled individually or on a collective basis by the producers who finance it. The PRO handles the waste in an environmentally sound manner. It is responsible for collecting and channelizing waste of the products that have reached an end of life and are discarded. The PRO aids the producers so that they can meet the required target in the matter of the legislative guidelines set by the Government. It helps in processing wastes and converting them into useful material. 

Role of CPCB Producer Responsibility Organization 

The Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) plays an extensive role in helping the producers in complying with the different legislative guidelines, such as:

  • The target for collecting the waste by the producers is carried out with the help of the PRO.
  • PRO helps the producers in establishing different mechanisms that foster the collection of waste.
  • Producer Responsibility Organization conveys the flexibility in the implementation of the policy of buyback.
  • Collection centres are established in line with the Producer Responsibility Organization rules. 
  • With the help of the Producer Responsibility Organization, relevant logistic arrangements can be given effect. 
  • Awareness programmes are conducted to educate people about the disposal techniques and methods of proper channelization of waste to ensure that no harm is caused to the environment.
  • The PRO ensures that the principles of the Extended Producers Responsibility are carried out effectively.
  • The PRO also ensures that the producers file the returns in accordance with the relevant rules. 
  • The PRO makes sure that the recycling procedures are carried out in such a manner that they are not causing any degradation to the environment. 
  • The PRO has to be present at the time of tracing the collected waste. 

Actions taken by CPCB Producer Responsibility Organization 

The following are the actions implemented by the Producer Responsibility Organization:

  • The PRO plays an instrumental role in motivating and educating people to adopt cleaner habits like sorting waste. 
  • PRO focuses on the welcoming combined efforts of the individuals in working together with the public authorities in waste management activities. 
  • The PRO fosters the cooperation to increase the sustained collection methods and also to make sure that the waste is being reused. 
  • It creates opportunities for the producers as incentives so that they may contribute to the designing of sustainable products.
  • It highlights the achievements related to environmental protection and the EPR scheme

Capabilities of the CPCB Producer Responsibility Organization

The Producer Responsibility Organization has to provide its capacities and capabilities, such as:

  • The PRO should specify the details regarding the capacity to handle the waste, including its collection, storage, sorting and recycling. 
  • The PRO should be capable enough to channel the waste in such a way that it fulfils the target of collection set by the Producer, importer and brand owners.
  • The PRO should provide its organizational structure regarding human resources, waste collection facilities, and infrastructures for collecting, storing, and transporting of waste. 
  • The PRO should provide information regarding the collection mechanism, including collection points, logistic arrangements, etc.
  • The PRO should be capable of carrying out public awareness initiatives, campaigns or programmes to promote the manner of proper disposal system. 

The Guiding Principles for producers by the PRO

The principles guided by the CPCB Producer Responsibility Organization for the producers are following:

  • The producers should ensure that the collected waste is of an equivalent amount
  • Producers should pay attention that proper funding is provided to support the manner of recycling waste.
  • Waste pickers should be widely included in a way to improve their income levels.
  • The producers should obtain the certificate, including all the entities who are part of waste management, to comply with EPR and ensure that the waste has been safely transported to recycling and processing units. 

Registration of the Producer Responsibility Organization

For the registration of an entity or individual to act as a CPCB Producer Responsibility Organization following are the required steps:

  • The application by the entity or individual who desires to act as the Producer Responsibility Organization has to fill at Central Pollution Control Board. The application has to be submitted with all the required information. 
  • The CPCB does the verification and scrutiny of the application, and accordingly, it rejects or accepts such applications. 
  • The Central Pollution Control Board responds to the application within a time period of twenty-five days. 
  • The registration is valid for three years. For renewal of the registration, the application has to be made prior to sixty days from the expiry of such registration. 

Requirements to register as a Producer Responsibility Organization

The following are the requirements of the application form made for the registration to act as a CPCB Producer Responsibility Organization:

  • Organization details, including name, address and other contact details
  • Details of the Authorized person, including name, address and contact details
  • Copy of Registration number issued by the Statutory Body
  • Copy of TAN, PAN and GST numbers
  • Copy of details of channel partners like recyclers, aggregators and logistic partners
  • Category of waste to be handled
  • Details of the collection mechanism
  • Details of the Organizational Structure
  • Agreement copy providing details of experience in waste management
  • List of the districts and states to be covered
  • Success stories in the disposal of waste
  • Any other information, if required.

Conclusion

The establishment of the CPCB Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) is a positive initiative towards waste management in our country. The PRO assists the producers in achieving waste collection targets, establishing waste collection methods, arranging logistics, filing returns, and other activities related to waste management. To act as a Producer Responsibility Organization, the individual or entity must obtain registration from the Central Pollution Control Board. 

Read our Article:Consent to Establish Vs Consent To Operate: Key Differences

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