Extended Producer's Responsibility (EPR)

Who Needs This Service

Manufacturers, importers and brand owners of packaged goods, electronics, batteries and EVs, tyres, lubricants and base oil, and e-commerce sellers placing such products in India need EPR.

Startups with imported products or packaging must also register.

Companies using multiple types of products may need several registrations.

If you are unsure about coverage, a mapping exercise identifies the streams.

Key Benefits

• One roadmap for all EPR obligations
• Registrations on the right CPCB portals
• Targets and certificates managed
• Annual returns prepared
• Reduced risk of environmental compensation

Next Steps & Related Services

After registering, track targets and returns. Related services: EPR E-waste, Battery, Plastic, Tyre, Used Oil and CPCB Guidelines.

Common Mistakes

• Ignoring a stream that applies.
• Engaging unregistered recyclers.
• Missing returns.
• Under-reporting sales.
• Using old rules.

Timeline, Costs & Practical Tips

Timelines vary by stream.

Practical tip: keep product, import and sales data ready.

Additional Information

EPR is built into the Plastic, E-Waste, Battery and Hazardous Waste Rules, administered by CPCB.

Practical Scenarios

Scenario 1:

An FMCG brand registers for plastic EPR.

Scenario 2:

An electronics importer registers for e-waste and battery.

Scenario 3:

A lubricant maker registers for used oil.

Practical Guidance

EPR is easiest to manage when you treat it as a product-level compliance system. Start with a product inventory: list every product and its packaging, and for each one ask whether it falls under plastic packaging, e-waste, batteries, tyres or used oil rules. Many consumer products touch several streams, for example an electronic gadget sold in plastic packaging with a battery. Register separately on each CPCB portal, with documents such as company registration, PAN, GST, IEC for importers and an authorised person.

Then convert obligations into numbers. Each stream has its own method for calculating targets, usually based on quantities placed on the market or sold in previous years, and each allows you to meet targets by buying EPR certificates from registered recyclers or processors. Negotiate with recyclers early, confirm that they are registered, and keep agreements and certificates. File returns on the schedule for each portal and keep supporting data ready for audit.

Understand the consequences of default: CPCB levies environmental compensation, for example for false reporting, unmet targets or dealing with unregistered entities. Finally, monitor changes, since several streams have been amended in recent years and one source mentions further plastic rule amendments in 2026.