The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), on July 2026, issued comprehensive Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Recycling of Waste Batteries under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022. The guidelines prescribe procedures for the collection, storage, transportation, refurbishment, dismantling, and recycling of all categories of waste batteries, including lead-acid, lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium, zinc-based, automotive, industrial, portable, and EV batteries, to ensure environmentally sound management and resource recovery.
The guidelines outline the battery recycling value chain and specify technical and operational requirements for recycling facilities, including infrastructure, safety protocols, hydro-metallurgical processing, dismantling procedures, emission standards, lead emission control measures, and recovery of valuable metals. They also define the roles of stakeholders such as producers, dealers, consumers, collection centres, refurbishers, and recyclers in maintaining a traceable and compliant recycling ecosystem.
Additionally, the guidelines prescribe requirements for record maintenance, return filing, and actions in cases of non-compliance, while promoting scientific recycling practices, recovery of critical minerals, environmental protection, and implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022.
