EPR REGISTRATION FOR PLASTIC WASTE AND PLASTIC PACKAGING
Talk To Expert
EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility), or EPR Registration for plastic packaging is a simple concept that makes the makers of products take responsibility for their product after they have served their use. It is not enough for entities to create products and services and then dispose of them after use.
EPR Registration Plastic Waste Management in its simplest form would imply that companies need to come up with strategies of how they will recycle their products or how they will dispose of them once they are no longer useful. This will go a long way in checking on pollution and therefore make the environment we live in to be clean and safe. EPR is a concept which enables everyone including the businesses to contribute to the wellbeing of the planet by minimizing the wastage and using the products until the last stage.
If you are a producer, importer or brand owner who uses plastic packaging in the products that you manufacture or market in India, the current EPR rules will apply to you irrespective of the size of your enterprise. One has to ensure that the plastic packaging is disposed of in the right manner. The breaching of the Plastic Waste Management Rules may result to penalties for the companies.
Functions of PIBOs (Producers, Importers, Brand Owners)
Register at the EPR Portal : They must register at the Plastic EPR website to be able to access the platform.- Submit their Action Plan : PIBOs should come up with and post a plan of how they will manage plastic waste in the right manner.
- Meet Obligations for :
- Recycling: They should ensure that the plastic is disposed off in the right manner by being recycled.
- Use of Recycled Content: Make use of products manufactured from recycled plastics.
- Reuse: Consider how to repurpose items and in doing so avoid discarding them.
- End-of-Life Disposal: Determine how you are going to dispose of the plastics when they are no longer in use in the right manner.
- Optional Engagement in Collection and Recovery: They will be able to decide on whether they would like to assist in the collection and retrieval of plastics.
- Submit Annual Returns: Post annually on what they have done with the plastic waste.
- Provide Proof of Certificates (Plastic Credits): Produce certificates to prove that they have disposed of the plastic waste in the right manner.
EPR rules apply to different types of plastic packaging.
- Category I: Rigid Plastic Packaging:- This is the type of packaging that is not flexible; it is rather firm. These are usually packages that cannot be easily flexed for instance plastic bottles, containers and boxes.
- Category II: Flexible Plastic Packaging:- This category involves packaging that is plastic-based and is in a form that can be bent or folded. It covers both the single layer and the multi-layer packaging where the packaging may have two or more layers of plastic with different types of plastic used in each layer. These include plastic bags, wrappers and some pouches.
- Category III: Multi-layered Plastic Packaging:- These are the packages that contain at least one layer of plastic and at least one layer of some other material. These are packaging materials which affect the use of both plastic and non-plastic materials in one package.
- Category IV: Plastic Sheets and Compostable Plastic Carry Bags:- This category comprises of plastic sheets used in packaging and carry bags which are made from compostable plastics. Biodegradable plastics are plastics that degrade in a composting system to form natural products hence being eco-friendly.
Plastic Waste Management Authorization has several advantages:
- Ecological Preservation : EPR acts as a guardian for our environment. It compels manufacturers to oversee the complete lifecycle of their products, with a strong focus on recycling & do
- Improved Garbage Management : EPR registration empowers businesses to make informed choices regarding waste collection, management, recycling, and disposal. It's like elevating your waste management strategy to an expert level, making the entire process more efficient and effective.
- Enhanced Credibility : Securing an EPR license is equivalent to earning a gold star in the business realm. It serves as evidence of a company's commitment to waste reduction and resource-efficient practices. Industry leaders closely monitor these regulations, as it not only boosts their reputation but also elevates their status within the sector. It's a mutually beneficial scenario for the company and the planet
EPR Registration for Plastic Packaging:
The new rules for EPR regarding plastic waste management were implemented by the Indian government on February 16, 2022. As per that any company which manufactures, imports, possesses or handles plastic waste is supposed to manage it appropriately. PIBOs or Producers, Importers, Brand Owners, and Plastic Waste Processors have to register on a special website or the EPR portal. This website assists them in understanding the guidelines for handling plastic waste. If a PIBO is based in one or two states or union territories, then they have to get registered with the Pollution Control Boards of those states/UTs. However, if they operate in more than two states or UTs, they must register with the CPCB. These PIBOs have to ensure that plastic waste is dealt with appropriately, which is done in special facilities known as Plastic waste processors. To prove that they are achieving these goals, PIBOs are issued certificates by PWPs depending on the amount of plastic waste handled. If a PIBO does not adhere to these rules then they might have to pay a penalty known as ‘environmental compensation’ and they can get into trouble in other ways as well.
Banned Single-Use Plastic Items in India
From the 1st of July 2022, a new regulation known as the EPR Registration for Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021 came into force. This rule prohibits the manufacture, import, storage, sale, giving away or use of certain types of plastic products that are designed to be used only once. These are known as Single-Use Plastic or SUP products. Here's a list of the things that will not be allowed from that date: Here's a list of the things that will not be allowed from that date:
- Ear buds with plastic sticks
- Plastic sticks for balloons
- Plastic flags
- Candy sticks
- Ice cream sticks
- Polystyrene (Thermocol) for Decoration
- Plates
- Cups
- Glasses
- Forks
- Spoons
- Knives
- Straws
- Trays
- Wrapping/packing films around sweet boxes
- Invitation cards
- Cigarette packets
- Plastic/PVC banners less than 100 microns
- Stirrers
Process of EPR Registration for PIBOS/PWPS
- Prepare Documents: Ensure that you prepare all the necessary documents that may be in solid formats such as PDF, JPG, PNG and so on.
- Register Online : First of all, you need to go to the central portal and get registered for getting the login credentials. Then you are free to apply.
- Fill in the Application: Once you have registered you will get a username and password to log in. The following should be used to complete the application form that is attached to this advert. Producers, Brand Owners and Importers have different forms.
- Pay the Application Fee: When submitting your application you are required to make a payment of the application fee. This payment can be done through the online mode with the help of the payment gateway provided in the portal.
- Application Processing: If your business is limited to one or two states, the filled online application will be forwarded to the respective State Pollution Control Boards. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will deal with the other applications.
- Get EPR Registration: The authorities will consider your application within 15 days from the time you submit it. Any false information or documents that they will get in your application will lead to the disapproval of your application. But if everything is in order, you will get your EPR registration certificate through email with a digital signature, embedded into the portal.
Once you have registered with the website, you will be given the username and password to access the website at www.cpcbeprplastic.in. Here is a list of documents that you need to have prepared before applying: PDF, JPG, or PNG formats are acceptable for the documents.
List of Documents to be Submitted in Connection with EPR Registration of PIBOS/ PWPS
- PAN, GST, CIN, IEC ( for importer) of the Company
- Aadhar / PAN of Authorized person
- DIC Registration (if unit registered with DIC)
- Process flow diagram (for producers only)
- Approval of SPCB/PCC (if the unit has a manufacturing unit)
- Hard copy of the signatures of the authorized persons.
- Covering letter
- Any other document containing any other information the unit wants to present.
When you apply for registration, you need to pay a fee based on how much plastic waste you generate each year. Here's how it works:
| Plastic waste Generation (TPA). | Application Fee (Rs.) |
|---|---|
| 1000 | 10,000 |
| 1000-10000 | 20,000 |
| 10000 | 50,000 |
When it's time to renew your registration, you'll pay the same fee as the initial registration fee. Every year when you file your annual returns, you'll need to pay 25% of the application fee as an annual processing fee.
The fees you pay will be divided between the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) or Pollution Control Committee (PCC).
If you registered with the CPCB, they get 80% of the fee, and the SPCB/PCC gets 20%. If you registered with the SPCB/PCC, it's the other way around.
You can make these payments online through the portal's integrated payment gateway.
B) Application fees for EPR Registration of PWPs
| Production capacity slab (TPA) | Proposed processing fees (Rs.) |
|---|---|
| 200 | 5000 |
| 200-2000 | 20,000 |
| >2000 | 50,000 |
Validity, Renewal & Cancellation of EPR Registration
A new registration shall be valid for one year, and a renewed registration shall be valid for three years. PIBO shall submit the renewal application, along with the required documents, four months before the expiry of the Registration. EPR Plastic waste registration granted to PIBOs may be cancelled or suspended at any time if the document submitted by the PIBO is found to be false.
Validity, Renewal & Cancellation of EPR Registration
A new registration shall be valid for one year and a renewed registration shall be valid for three years. PIBO shall submit the renewal application with all the necessary attachments four months before the expiry of the Registration. The registration of PIBOs for EPR Plastic waste may be cancelled or suspended at any time where the PIBO has submitted a false document.
CONCLUSION
Extended Producer Responsibility has now been recognized as the key approach to achieving effective management of plastic packaging. In India which is one of the worst affected nations by plastic waste, EPR Registration for Plastic Packaging has therefore come in handy to deal with this problem. Today, manufacturers, importers, and brand owners of plastic products – large and small – are made to answer for their plastics. This process is controlled by bodies such as CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) to ensure that the plastic waste is well dealt with and disposed of properly. The EPR rules have divided plastic packaging into different groups and compliance with these rules is vital in waste management. These measures not only enhance the right disposal of waste but also avert the violation of the Plastic Waste Management Rules for the benefit of the public..
Our mission is to ensure that you get exactly what you want, quality and timely EPR Registration services for the proper management of plastic waste. We offer our services in the provision of EPR registration to help you secure your EPR registration certificate within the shortest time possible.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
