Extended battery producers’ obligation penalties to increase recyclers profitability: Official

New Delhi, Jan 18 Financial penalties for failing to meet extended producers' responsibility obligations encourage battery recyclers and increase their profitability, said an official on Saturday. Addressing India Battery Recycling and Reuse Summit 2025, in the run-up to Bharat Battery Show, Central Pollution Control Board Director V P Yadav said,"Considering all the challenges faced by recyclers, we have designed a system in which producers who fail to meet their obligations will face financial penalties." Debi Prasad Dash, President, IESA said that IESA closely works with 20 battery recycling and second life players out of its 200 member organisations and also with government bodies like Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ministry of Mines and Ministry of Heavy Industries to create a robust circular economy framework for advanced batteries. Highlighting the challenges faced by the recycling industry, Rajat Verma, Founder, Lohum and Chair India Recycling and ReUSe Council said that there are several issues that "we as an industry are grappling with, these include formalizing the informal sector, building traceability into the circular economy, establishing standards for recycling, and developing a skilled workforce to support the recycling industry."