MoEF notifies Rules for End-of-Life Vehicles to minimize waste and pollution

On 6-1-2025, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change notified the Environment Protection (End-of-Life Vehicles) Rules, 2025 to encourage recycling and reuse of vehicle components and materials to reduce the demand for new raw material. The provisions will come into force on 1-4-2025.

Key Points:

1. Rules apply to:

   • the producer, registered owner of vehicles, bulk consumers, Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility, collection centres, automated testing stations and entities involved in testing of vehicles, handling, processing and scrapping of End-of-Life vehicles, but will not apply to:

     • waste batteries covered under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022;

     • plastic packaging as covered under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016;

     • waste tyres and used oil as covered under Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016;

     • E-waste as covered under E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022.

   • all types of vehicles including an electric vehicle, battery operated vehicle, e-rikshaw or e-cart, but will not apply to:

     • agricultural tractor;

     • agricultural trailer;

     • combine harvester; and

     • power tiller.

2. Responsibilities of producer:

   • fulfil the obligation of Extended Producer Responsibility (‘EPR’) for the vehicles that the producer has introduced or introduces in the domestic market;

   • meet the scrapping targets of End-of-Life vehicles;

   • take necessary measures to encourage End-of-Life vehicles are deposited at the Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (‘RVSF’) or designated Collection Centres;

   • declare its EPR obligations for the current year by 30th April of the same year to the Central Board;

   • take measures for sustainable production of vehicles including in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Central Board;

   • take measures to comply with the provisions of AIS-129, as published by the Central Government under Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.

3. Responsibilities of registered owner and bulk consumer:

   • ensure that the vehicle is tested in accordance with the Section 56 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Rule 52 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989;

   • deposit the End-of-Life vehicle at any of the producer’s designated sales outlet or designated Collection Centre or RVSF within a period of 180 days from the date the vehicle becomes the End-of-Life vehicle.

   • The End-of-Life vehicle cannot be kept beyond 180 days from the date it becomes End-of-Life vehicle.

4. Responsibilities of Collection Centre:

   • It has to collect and store End-to-Life vehicles and send them to RVSF.

   • maintain the records of the End-of-Life vehicle;

   • handle the End-of-Life Vehicles in an environmentally sound manner.

5. Responsibilities of RVSF:

   • Safe storage of various categories of wastes in separate bins;

   • Recycling and refurbishment of materials;

   • Send End-of-Life vehicles for scrapping and carry out treatment/ depolluting/ dismantling/ segregation;

   • Send recovered and segregated materials to registered recyclers for reuse of components/ materials;

   • Send all non-recyclable material to Common Hazard Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposable Facility;

   • Exchange the EPR certificates upon processing of every End-of Life vehicle based on the quantity of steel;

6. EPR certificate:

   • Central Board will issue the certificate through centralized online portal in Favour of RVSF.

   • A Producer can purchase EPR certificate limited to its EPR obligation of current year plus any leftover obligation of preceding years.

   • An EPR certificate purchased by the producer is not transferrable to any other producer. An EPR certificate generated by the RVSF shall be valid for a period of 5 years for meeting the obligations of producer under these rules.

7. The registration applications will be made in:

   • Producer will make an application in Form 4 to the Central Board.

   • Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility and bulk consumer will make an application in Form 5 and Form 6 to the State Board.

   • Central Board/ State Board will issue a certificate of registration in Form 7 and Form 8 within 15 from the receipt of application.