EPR Tyre Authorization in India

WHAT IS EPR TYRE AUTHORIZATION?

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a critical policy approach that has gained significant traction globally in addressing waste management and environmental sustainability. In the context of tyre management, EPR mandates that producers take responsibility for the lifecycle of their products, particularly post-consumer waste. This guide explores the essentials of EPR Tyre Authorisation, its implications, benefits, and the process involved in India.

UNDERSTANDING EPR TYRE AUTHORISATION

EPR Tyre Authorisation is a regulatory framework that compels tyre manufacturers, importers, and brand owners to manage the end-of-life tyres (ELTs) they produce or sell. The primary aim is to ensure that tyres are collected, treated, and disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner, minimizing landfill use and promoting recycling and reuse.

KEY OBJECTIVES OF EPR FOR TYRES

There are several objectives for the EPR tyre (Extended Producer Responsibility) and some of the common objectives are discussed as under:

• ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION : Reduce the environment impact of waste tyres, which can cause significant harm if the tyre waste is not properly disposed of as it cannot be disposed of easily by itself
• RESOURCE EFFICIENCY : Promote the recycling and reuse of tyre materials, conserving natural resources and reducing the needs for virgin materials.
• CIRCULAR ECONOMY : Encourage a circular economy by ensuring that material is kept in use for as long as possible, through recycling and reprocessing.
• COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY : Hold producers accountable for the entire lifestyle of their products, from production to disposal

BENEFITS OF EPR FOR TYRES

Some of the benefits of the EPR tyre are described as under:

• ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT : EPR significantly reduces the environmental footprint of tyres by ensuring proper disposal and recycling. This helps in:
  • WASTE REDUCTION : It helps in reducing the accumulation of the tyre waste at the landfills and illegal dumping sites thus removing a great effort of destroying it
  • RESOURCE CONSERVATION : Recycling the waste type helps in conserving the raw materials and reduces the need for new resources.
  • POLLUTION CONTROL : Proper disposal of the tyre waste helps to prevent the harmful chemicals and pollutants from contaminating the soil and the water.

• ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES : EPR can also offer economic benefits, such as:
  • JOBS CREATION : The recycling and waste management can help in providing employment in the various sector by providing them various jobs thus helping in boosting the economy.
  • COST SAVING : Efficient waste management can reduce the cost associated with the waste tyre disposal and all the resource procurement.
  • CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY : Adopting EPR demonstrating a company’s commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. This can enhance brand reputation and build trust with consumers who are increasingly valuing environmentally responsible practices.

WHO SHOULD GET EPR

Knowing how to get an EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) who should get an EPR. The EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) entrust the waste tyre management with the PIBOs (producers’ importers & brand owners) those are responsible for the sale of tyres in the market and it is their responsibility to manage the waste brought by them.

• PRODUCERS : Any entity or a company who produces plastic bags, rigid type of plastic, or any kind of plastic they use for packaging must apply for EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility).
• IMPORTERS : Any entity or a company who imports plastic products or import plastic packed products must apply for an EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility)
• BRANDOWNERS : Any company or an entity who sells plastic products or import goods under the name of a specific brand must apply for an EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility).

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) AUTHORISATION

• Certificate of Incorporation for the Company
• Details regarding the owner, proprietor, or sole proprietor
• PAN and GST certification number
• The DGFT’s IEC Code (For Particular Entities)
• Company letterhead declaration
• Country of Origin
• Waste tyre Quantity
• EPR plan (all steps and procedures to be followed)
• Statement of Compliance with the Reduction of Hazardous Substances (ROHS)
• Letter of understanding (LOI) with recyclers, dismantlers, storage facilities, and disposal facilities (TSDFs), among others
• Self-attestation by the Dismantlers and Recyclers
• List of manufacturers connected to recyclers or destructors, along with the manufacturers’ planned collections

PROCEDURE FOR FILLING EPR TYRE AUTHORIZATION IN INDIA

The process of obtaining EPR Tyre Authorization involves several steps, from preparing the necessary documents to submitting the application and complying with ongoing reporting requirements. Here is a detailed procedure:

• Preparation Phase : Gather Required Documents Ensure you have all the necessary documents ready, including company registration details, EPR plan, product details, financial documents, authorization letters, compliance reports, proof of infrastructure, environmental clearances, and other supporting documents.
• Registration on the CPCB EPR Portal : Create an Account Visit the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) EPR portal.  Register your company by creating a user account. You will need to provide basic company information such as name, address, and contact details. 2. Login to the Portal  After registration, log in to the portal using the credentials provided during registration.
• LABELING : The next role is PIBOs (Producers, Importers, and Brand Owners) must label the waste generated by them with the proper recycling details.
• LABELING : The next role is PIBOs (Producers, Importers, and Brand Owners) must label the waste generated by them with the proper recycling details.
• COLLECTION : The companies must collect the end-of-life products from the market which means those products are at the end of their lifecycle and no further usefulness to it
• DIRECTING : One of the roles of the companies registered under EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) is that they must direct the waste for example they have to direct either the waste is to be send to recycling, refurbishing, treatment, storage, or disposal facilities
• EPR TARGETS : The company under EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) must fulfil their EPR targets on an early basis so that they do not have to face penalty.
• ANNUAL RETURNS : The companies registered under EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) have to file an annual return before the due dates.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) AUTHORISATION

To register for EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) a company must provide with some important documents

• PAN, GST, CIN : PAN (Permanent account number), GST (Goods and Services Tax), CIN (Certificate Of Incorporation) of the authorised company.
• IEC CERTIFICATE : IEC (Import and Export Code) OF the applicant importer
• AADHAR / PAN OF AUTHORIZED PERSON : Aadhar and Pan of the authorized signatory
• DIC REGISTRATION : DIC (District industries Centre) if the company is register to DIC they must upload the Documents
• PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAMS : A process flow diagram is a diagram indicates the general flow of plant process and equipment
• CONSENT ISSUED BY SPCB/PCC : Before establishing their factory, the applicant must apply for the CFE (Consent For Establishment) from SPCB (State Pollution Control Board) with all relevant documents.
• COVER LETTERS : A cover letter for industry has four sections – An “Introduction”, The “Sell”, “Motivation”, and the “Close”.
• GEO TAGGED PICTURES : Pictures of raw material storage area, production area, product dispatch area, and plant machinery.
• INVOICE : Company is required to submit the invoice of all the waste generated from the last financial year.

PROCESS OR STEPS FOR EPR FOR PLASTIC MANAGEMENT REGISTRATION

The process or we can say the steps for a successful EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) authorisation, the company can individually apply for the EPR or they can collectively apply through a channel partner PRO (Producers Responsibility organization).

• DOCUMENTATION : Company should have a copy of all the necessary documents required for registration on hand in the form of pdf, jpg, or png before complete the application.
• LOGIN CREDENTIALS : The process of application begins with the self-registration on the centralized portal provided to obtain the required login credentials.
• APPLICATION FEES : After the submission of the required document the applicant is left with the submission of the application fees. A gateway is generated at the end where the applicant is required to pay the fees online through various methods. The application fees are variable as it depends upon the size of the waste generated by the company.
• APPLICATION PROCESSING : The application submitted by the PIBOs (producers’ importers & brand owners) is then transferred to the CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board). if the application is needed to be sent to the SPCB/PCC it is done on the same site if they operate in one or two states.
• GRANT OF EPR : After the successful registration of the application, it takes about 15 days by the authorized personal to process it. If the application submitted by the applicant is incorrect the registration must be denied. If the information is correct the PIBOs (producers’ importers & brand owners) will be provided by the EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) registration certificate from CPCB/SPCB/PCC.