The salient features of the rules are as under:

   The Rules make it mandatory for consumers to return used batteries and make manufacturers/assemblers/reconditioners/importers responsible for collection of batteries and ensuring their onward transport to recyclers who are registered with Ministry of Environment and Forests based, inter-alia, on their possessing environmentally sound technology for processing lead acid batteries. As a result, backyard smelting of lead acid batteries with attendant lead emissions to the atmosphere, discharge of acid into open ground/sewers and loss of lead due to poor recovery (30-40%) wound come down substantially. Manufacturers etc. are required to set up collection centres for collection of used batteries.

    Collection centres could be set up either individually or jointly.

   Batteries sold to bulk consumers such as central/state government departments, state road transport undertakings and original Equipment Manufacturers such as automobile manufacturers have been excluded from the obligation for collection.

   It has been provided that bulk consumers/auctioneers could auction used batteries only to the registered recylers and small scale manufacturers are at liberty to procure recycled lead from the registered recyclers.

   Dealers have also been assigned responsibility for collection. Auction of used lead acid batteries by bulk consumers or auctioneers could be made only in favour of registered recyclers.

   Since Ministry of Environment and Forests already has a schedule for registering reprocessors of used lead acid batteries, only those reprocessors who have not applied to Ministry of Environment and Forests already are required to apply for registration.