Indian Govt Unveils Steel Scrap Recycling Policy

Ministry of Steel (Indian govt) in an endeavor to develop a globally competitive steel industry by adopting state of the art environment friendly technologies has notified steel scrap recycling policy yesterday. Ferrous scrap being the primary raw material for EAF/ IF based steel production, the policy envisages a framework to facilitate and promote establishment of metal scrapping centers in India. The policy framework shall provide standard guidelines for collection, dismantling and shredding activities in an organized, safe and environmentally sound manner.

Government's responsibility - The MoEF&CC /CPCB/SPCB may adopt uniform norms for categorization of shredding/recycling centres and care shall be taken to give guidelines such that these centres shall not be categorized above "Orange? as per the environmental norms. Based on discussions it emerges that MoEF&CC would finalize uniform categorization norms applicable in all states separately for Collection & Dismantling Centres? and "Recycling Centres? in three months? time.

Role of automobile OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) - Automobile manufacturers, being an important stakeholder, should design vehicles keeping in mind the recyclability of the vehicle at the end of life. This would mean that the use of hazardous materials and substances of Concern (SOC) shall be avoided to the extent possible so that risks associated with during disposal & recycling are taken care of.

The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) guidelines/draft Regulations of MoEF&CC be strictly adhered to. In extended producer responsibility OEMs should incentivize scrapping of unfit vehicles in exchange for price discounts for the purchase of new vehicles, ie OEMs may provide incentives to those purchasing a new vehicle in lieu of exchange of ELVs.

Role of white goods OEMs - Promoting the usage of recycled materials in new products and avoid toxic and hazardous substances while packaging, through appropriate change management and adequate measures. Also designing the products to contain safer materials (so they do not need to be managed separately) or designing products that are easier to recycle and reuse.

ELV (End of Life Vehicle) owner's responsibility - The owner must hand over for scrapping vehicles that do not meet the fitness criterion for the vehicles. The owner must ensure that s/he has relevant documents/papers suggesting he is the owner of the vehicle being considered as ELV. The owner has the right to authorize some other person, on his behalf, to handover the ELVs for scrapping.

Scrap processing center shall ensure that - The facility should have the appropriate equipment and use best available technology as evolved from time to time for the activities defined viz shredding, shearing, baling, slitting etc. The scrap processing centres should be equipped with radioactive detection Equipment. The facility, should further, have provisions for storing segregated scraps, as emerged, from the above process, to cater domain-specific downstream
Industries.

Roles of aggregators - Aggregators to associate themselves with the dismantling and/or scrap processing center to strengthen reverse supply chain for collection of scraps through long term suitable mechanisms to facilitate continuous and regular supply of scraps to authorized scrapping centres. The aggregators may work closely with the scrap processing centers for segregation and compliance to BIS scrap specifications and codes.

To download the steel scrap policy, click here