India introduces EPR for non-ferrous metal scrap from April 2025

India's MoEFCC introduced Extended Producer Responsibility for non-ferrous metal scrap under the Hazardous and Other Wastes Second Amendment Rules, 2024, effective April 1, 2025. Producers of aluminium, copper, and zinc face rising recycling targets, formalising the non-ferrous metals circular economy.

India's Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Second Amendment Rules, 2024, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, introduce Extended Producer Responsibility for non-ferrous metal scrap, effective April 1, 2025. The rules apply to aluminium, copper, zinc, and their alloys, building on existing frameworks to promote an organized recycling ecosystem. The Central Pollution Control Board, or an agency it appoints, oversees implementation and monitors compliance, with a national digital tracking system introducing transparency, accountability, better data collection, and support for ESG disclosures.

Manufacturers, producers, collection agents, refurbishers, and recyclers handling non-ferrous metal scrap are directly affected and must register on a central portal, meet recycling targets, adhere to set schedules, undergo verification and audit processes, and manage EPR certificate generation. Producers must meet progressively increasing recycling targets by weight for non-ferrous metals in new products under Schedule II, starting at 10% in 2025-2026 and reaching 75% by 2031-2032. Schedules also outline covered products and materials permitted for refurbishing across the sector.

Obligated entities should register on the CPCB central portal and align operations with Schedule II recycling targets, planning for the trajectory rising from 10% in 2025-2026 to 75% by 2031-2032. Producers, refurbishers, and recyclers should prepare for verification and audit processes and manage EPR certificate generation accordingly. Stakeholders should monitor CPCB guidance on schedules covering products, targets, and refurbishing materials, ensuring the digital tracking system supports their compliance reporting and ESG disclosures within the formalised non-ferrous metals recycling framework.

Key figure — Recycling target: rising from 10% in 2025-2026 to 75% by 2031-2032