ERP Certification is required by manufacturers or producers, importers, brand owners, and distributors of plastic packaging, batteries, electronic items, and tyres. All such people require an extended producer responsibility certificate from CPCB. Unless they receive an EPR Certificate for plastic waste management from CPCB, PIBOs, and PWPs are not permitted to conduct business.

On November 2, 2022, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change released the E-Waste (Management) Rules 2022, which came into effect on April 1, 2023. This rule requires all producers, manufacturers, refurbishers, and recyclers, to register on the portal for an EPR certification, gather any e-waste produced during the production, refurbishment, or disposal of any electrical or electronic equipment, and make sure that the trash is recycled or disposed of.

A manufacturer, producer, refurbisher, or recycler are the categories available on the portal of EPR authorization. An entity must register under each category independently if it fits into more than one category. It is prohibited for any organization to conduct business without registration. Depending on the amount of e-waste generated, recycled, or handled by the organization, the Central Pollution Control Board is allowed to impose a fee for annual maintenance along with the registration fees. This is decided by the steering committee and approved by the Central Pollution Control Board.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), a body of the MoEFCC, Government of India grants EPR authorization. Entities taking the certificate will have to pay the registration and yearly maintenance costs set by the Central Pollution Control Board in accordance with their ability to handle e-waste, as approved by the steering committee.

As per latest guidelines, CPCB issues EPR certificate for producers, importers and brad owners of electrical and electronics item, plastic packaging, battery, tyres and oil.

• 1. EPR Certificate for E-Waste Management: In India, any manufacturer, producer, or importer of electronic and electrical products must obtain an EPR certificate to legally sell their items. This certificate is a key requirement for those involved in e-waste production. The e-waste management regulations were introduced in India in 2011 and updated in 2016 and 2022. The EPR guidelines hold Producers, Importers, and Brand Owners (PIBOs) accountable for the full lifecycle of their products, with a primary focus on proper end-of-life disposal. To comply with these rules, producers must partner with certified e-waste recyclers to establish a system for the collection, recycling, and safe disposal of e-waste. The EPR certificate serves as proof that producers meet the legal standards for responsible e-waste management.
• 2. EPR Certificate for Plastic Waste Management: All the manufacturers, brand owners, and importers involved in the sale, distribution, or manufacturing of plastic packaging will be required to take the EPR Certification for plastic. EPR Certificate for plastic waste management is a mandatory certification for producers, importers, and brand owners of plastic items or packaging. This rule was implemented by the government to manage the lifecycle of the plastic products sold in the Indian market. The rule includes responsibility for the collection, recycling, and proper disposal of plastic waste after the end of its lifecycle.
• 3. EPR Certificate for Battery Waste Management: Battery producers, importers, and manufacturers must register their EPRs for battery waste. Batteries require an Extended Producer Responsibility Certificate from both the company manufacturing the batteries and the entity importing batteries or equipment incorporating batteries. All battery types must register for an EPR, regardless of their size, kind, composition, or intended usage.
• 4. EPR Certificate for Waste Tyres: Any entity that manufactures, sells, or imports tyres is required to register for EPR certification. Certificates have become a vital strategy for managing discarded tyres and mitigating the environmental effects of tyre waste.

It is important to reduce the waste produced in our environment, and therefore, let’s understand the benefits of an EPR Certificate:

• 1. Making Renewable Products: EPR rule promotes treating waste and recycling it. Therefore, this improves products using renewable resources and reduces waste in the environment.
• 2. Efficient Waste Management: A simplified waste management procedure is guaranteed by an EPR Certificate. It is the responsibility of producers to establish collection methods, work with recycling facilities, and support recycling programs. As a result, there is less garbage going to landfills, better waste segregation, and increased recycling rates.
• 3. Reduce Waste:Use of the EPR Certificate is one strategy to reduce waste in India.
• 4. Cost Reduction: Businesses may save money by using EPR certificates. Businesses may reduce trash disposal costs, look into the potential to generate income through recycling and increase overall operational efficiency by improving waste management processes.
• 5. Positive Brand Image: Nowadays' customers love environmentally and socially conscious companies. A company's dedication to sustainable business operations and environmental management is demonstrated by its certificate of extended producer responsibility. Businesses may improve their public perception and gain the trust of environmentally concerned customers by registering their products with Extended Producer Responsibility, which will boost their brand loyalty and competitiveness in the market.