SIAM and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board Lead Automotive Industry Towards Circular Economy

In pursuit of advancing sustainable mobility, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), incollaboration with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, jointly organized a “Circularity Workshop” on“Extended Producer Responsibility Regime: An Innovative Policy Tool for Fostering a Sustainable CircularEconomy in the Automotive Industry.” The workshop, held on 8th April 2024 in Mumbai, was part of SIAM’sChakriyata initiative, which aims to facilitate meaningful discussions and develop actionable strategies forsustainable mobility through waste management, recycling, and other circularity principles.

The workshop provided a platform for industry stakeholders and government representatives to converge,fostering insightful discussions on the benefits and challenges associated with implementing Extended ProducerResponsibility (EPR) within the automotive sector. With a focus on catalyzing sustainable practices, the eventaimed to gather valuable insights into leveraging EPR as a strategic mechanism towards achieving a circulareconomy in the automotive industry.

The inaugural session, opened by Prashant K Banerjee, Executive Director of SIAM, underscored the autoindustry’s commitment to sustainability. Banerjee highlighted SIAM’s focus on promoting the recycling ecosystemwithin the country through its Chakriyata initiative. He emphasized that the event, which brought together keystakeholders in the automotive recycling ecosystem, would help develop new ideas and ensure alignment toachieve the government’s circularity vision.

Sushant Naik, Chairman of SIAM Electric Mobility Group and Global Head of Government & Public Affairs at

TataMotors, stated, “SIAM Chakriyata’s vision is to harmonize economic growth, environmental integrity, and socialequity in the automotive industry. Through the Extended Producer Responsibility framework, our focus is tominimize waste and maximize recycling efforts, paving the way for a sustainable future.”

Sanjay Mehta, President of the Material Recycling Association of India, discussed the imperatives of the EPRregime in India, presenting the recyclers’ view and highlighting the need for collaboration between RVSFs andOEMs in India to address key sector issues. Avinash Dhakne, Member Secretary of MPCB, spoke on “Therecycling ecosystem in Maharashtra for various waste streams” at the Circularity Workshop, providing the statepollution board’s perspective on EPR as a policy approach for accelerating the transition to the circular economy.

Anand Kumar, Director & Divisional Head of WM-III Division at the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB),presented CPCB’s perspective on the different EPR norms that have been introduced in recent years, includingthose for ELVs, tyres, batteries, and e-waste. He emphasized the need for regulators and industry to worktogether with a problem-solving mindset to resolve key issues and ensure the development of a recyclingecosystem in the country.

Present at the session were Vijay Prakash Yadav, serving as Director at the Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB), and M S Anandkumar, Chairman of SIAM Recycling & Material Group and Senior General Manager at TVSMotor Company. The initial session of the workshop focused on “EPR Regime in Used Oil & Plastic WasteManagement.” To set the stage, Anant Bhargava, CEO & Director of IFP Petro, provided insights into“Opportunities in Used Oil EPR implementation and Circular Economy.”

Following this, Anand Kumar, Director & Divisional Head of WM-III Division at CPCB, discussed the“Implementation of Used Oil & Plastic Waste EPR rules: Trading Mechanism of EPR Certificates at CPCB Portals.”The session also included thematic presentations by industry experts. Shailendra Gokhale, Founder & Director ofRosefield Energy Tech Pvt Ltd, delved into the “Status, Challenges, Opportunities and Way forward” in thisdomain.

Additionally, Peeyush Dubey, General Manager at Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Sohail Akhtar, Executive Director atBharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd, and Shakti Mishra, Deputy General Manager at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, presented on the “OMC perspective on Used Oil,” detailing the key steps taken by OMCs to promotethe development of the used oil recycling ecosystem. Vikrant Hemant Bhalerao, Sub-regional officer at MPCB,provided MPCB’s perspective on different EPR norms while also discussing the recycling ecosystem inMaharashtra.

The second session of the workshop focused on “EPR Regime in ELV Management & Tyre Waste.” BharatKalaskar, Joint Transport Commissioner, Transport Department, Govt of Maharashtra, shared his views on the“Phasing out of End-of-Life vehicles & their impact on ambient air quality.” Yash Pal Sachar, Vice President atAshok Leyland, discussed “EPR Regime in Automotive Sector.”

The session included thematic presentations by Sumit Issar, Managing Director at Mahindra Accelo, on“Technological Innovations in ELV Recycling and Resource Recovery at the level of RVSF,” and Prabhakar Tiwari,General Manager at Tata Motors, on “Implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in the Automobile:Challenges and Solutions at RVSF level.”

Dr Anuraddha Ganesh, Chief Technical Advisor at Cummins, presented on “Circular Economy Strategies: AligningELV Policies with Sustainable Practices,” emphasizing the importance of designing for recycling and usingrecyclable materials, along with the concept of remanufacturing automotive parts to increase their useful life andaid in resource conservation. The session also featured Dr Rashi Gupta, Founder & Managing Director at VisionMechatronics Private Ltd, presenting on “Battery Waste management,” highlighting the importance of batteryrecycling given the increase in EV sales and battery usage for energy storage.

The third session focused on “EPR Regime in Battery Waste & E-Waste.” Rujuta Bhalerao, Sub-Regional Officer atMPCB, provided MPCB’s perspective on battery and e-waste management, along with detailing the recyclingecosystem in Maharashtra. Additionally, Vijay Prakash Yadav, Director at CPCB, shared his perspectives on“Implementation of Battery Waste Management rules and Trading Mechanism of EPR Certificates at CPCB Portal.”

The final session included thematic presentations by Prabhakar Tiwari, General Manager at Tata Motors, whodiscussed “Battery waste management rule,” and M S Anandkumar, Chairman of SIAM Recycling & MaterialGroup and Senior General Manager at TVS Motor Company, who presented his view on the EPR regime, keychallenges, and how it can help drive circularity.

The successful organization of the circularity workshop demonstrated SIAM’s commitment to promotingcircularity in the automotive sector to facilitate India’s move towards sustainable mobility. The event concludedon a positive note, facilitating a rich and insightful exchange of ideas, best practices, and strategies.

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) serves as the primary national organization representingmajor vehicle and vehicular engine manufacturers in India. Established as a charitable society under theSocieties Registration Act 1860, SIAM aims to bolster the automobile industry’s role in advancing the Indianeconomy. It strives to aid the industry in fulfilling its social responsibilities while promoting its overall efficiency,especially within India.

Additionally, SIAM is dedicated to enhancing environmental protection by addressing issues such as globalwarming, pollution control, and ensuring the safety of automobile users and the public. Due to its commitment tothese goals, SIAM has been officially recognized under the Income Tax Act 1961 as a charitable institution.

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