Centre Orders Audit of Over 2,000 E-Waste Recycling Units Over Fake Certificate Concerns

The Centre has ordered a nationwide audit of more than 2,000 e-waste recycling units after concerns that some recyclers may be issuing certificates without actually processing the waste. 

The checks will cover 309 electronic waste facilities along with other recycling units. Officials will visit the plants, inspect their machinery and compare their production claims with electricity bills and other records. 

Any unit found using fake or altered documents could lose its authorisation to issue Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) certificates. 

Uttar Pradesh Comes Under Focus 

Uttar Pradesh is likely to see close scrutiny as it accounts for nearly one-third of India's e-waste recycling facilities. 

In September, the state pollution control board appointed regional officers to inspect 33 recycling units. Four of these facilities provide services to Samsung. The inspections are now underway, according to a state official. 

Officials to Check Machinery and Power Bills 

The audit will go beyond checking paperwork. Inspectors will visit facilities to see whether the machines are working and whether their capacity matches the amount of waste they claim to process. 

Electricity bills will also be checked. A plant claiming to recycle large volumes of electronic waste would be expected to show power consumption that supports those figures. 

The Centre had asked states to begin inspections in July. CPCB Chairman Amandeep Garg also wrote to state authorities, asking them to audit more than 2,000 units and follow the prescribed inspection process. 

Fake EPR Certificates Raise Concerns 

Under rules introduced in 2022, electronics manufacturers must ensure that a set share of the products they sell is recycled. They meet this requirement by buying EPR certificates from authorised recyclers. 

However, a government report in January raised concerns that some recyclers were issuing certificates without processing the waste. This could allow manufacturers to show compliance on paper without actual recycling taking place. 

The issue came into focus after an investigation found that Haier and Godrej & Boyce had failed to detect fake compliance documents issued by a recycler. 

Read More: Punjab Government Increases DA to 221% for Computer Teachers! 

Conclusion 

The nationwide audit is meant to check whether e-waste recycling claims match what facilities actually process. Units found issuing false certificates could lose their authorisation, while the checks may also bring greater scrutiny to how companies meet their recycling obligations. 

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