With a view to strengthen the ecosystem for handling and disposal of batteries across India and ensure the safety of people involved, as well as to check the environmental hazards caused by their indiscriminate handling and disposal, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has published the draft Battery Waste Management Rules, 2020, on February 20, 2020 which is set to supersede Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001. Types of batteries that are proposed to be brought under the purview include all primary (non-rechargeable) and secondary (chargeable) cells.

The amendment looks to ensure safe and formalised recycling of batteries that are under use, with an emphasis on tracking batteries that have completed their useful life through online records and data management. The amendment also lays out the responsibilities of the manufacturer, importer, assembler, re-conditioner, consumer, exporter, dismantler, collection centre and state/central pollution control board explicitly and also stresses awareness on the hazards of Lead, Cadmium and Mercury and safety measures associated with their handling.