Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules 2001

U/s 68 & 25 of the environment (protection) Act 1986, these rules were made and brought into force Frome 16/5/2001.

They have 14 rules, First schedule and 9 Forms.

They apply to every manufacture, importer, reconditioned, assembler, dealer, recycler, auctioneer, consumer and bulk consumer involved in manufacture, processing sale, purchase and use of batteries or components there of.

There are 19 definitions u/r 3 some of which are as under-

Battery – Means lead acid battery which is a source of electrical energy and contains lead metal.

Consumer – Means a person using lead acid batteries excluding bulk consumer.
Re-conditioner – Means a person involved in repairing of lead acid batteries for selling the same in the market.

Recycler – Means an occupier who process used lead acid batteries or components thereof for recovery lead.

Responsibilities of manufacturer, importer, assembler and re-conditioner are stated in R4 and those of dealer in R7 of recycler in R8 of consumer in R10 and of auctioneer in R11.

Importers have to register themselves (R.5&6).

Registration procedure for recycler is given in R. 9.
Prescribed authority is state pollution control board (R12). Duties of CPCB are mentioned in R. 13 and those of moEF in Rule 14 for records and returns.

Used batteries are to be collected back by the manufacturer and dealer and appropriate discount shall be given to the consumer. Safe transportation, no damage during storage and transportation and collected batteries are to be sent only to the registered recyclers.

Recycler shall mark ‘Recycled’ on lead recovered by him and create public awareness regarding hazards of lead and obligations of consumer to return used batteries only to the registered dealer or at the designated collection centres