New Rules For Management Of Battery Waste: A Much-Awaited Change

With the mass electrification of transportation, recycling of batteries is a growing concern in India as a significant part of discarded batteries eventually end up in garbage disposals. The mechanism for the disposal and handling of batteries in India was earlier governed by the Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001 ("Old Rules") which regulated the collection and recycling of used leadacid batteries and intended to minimize the harm caused to the environment due to the disposal of such batteries. Under the Old Rules, consumers were required to return the used batteries, and manufacturers, assemblers, importers, and reconditioners were required to collect such used batteries and hand it over to registered recyclers.