Environment & ClimateImportant2026-03-27

Draft Amendment for End-of-Life Vehicles Rules, 2025

In News

What Happened

On March 27, 2026, the MoEFCC issued the Draft Environment Protection (End-of-Life Vehicles) Amendment Rules, 2026. The draft proposes significant updates to the 2025 rules, shifting the focus from merely scrapping vehicles to a comprehensive lifecycle waste management system. It introduces mandatory multi-waste EPR certificates and brings insurance companies into the regulatory framework.

Why It Matters

This promotes a true circular economy in the automotive sector by expanding accountability beyond steel recycling to encompass plastics, glass, e-waste, and batteries. It directly addresses the mounting environmental hazard of abandoned vehicles and establishes rigorous traceability targets, ensuring greater sustainability in India's booming auto market.

Background

History & Context

The original Environment Protection (End-of-Life Vehicles) Rules were notified on January 6, 2025, primarily to mandate the formal recycling of steel waste generated by scrapped vehicles. While the 2025 rules established a basic Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for automakers, stakeholders highlighted implementation gaps regarding other hazardous auto components. The March 2026 draft amendments address these gaps by integrating vehicle regulations with existing rules for plastic, battery, and e-waste management.

What Changed

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Scope of EPR: BEFORE, EPR obligations under ELV rules were limited strictly to the recycling of steel. NOW, producers must obtain multi-waste EPR certificates covering used oil, tires, batteries, e-waste, plastics, and glass.
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Recycled Steel Content: BEFORE, producers had an initial 8% steel recovery target without aggressive long-term procurement mandates. NOW, the amendment mandates an escalating minimum recycled content of steel in new vehicles, aiming to reach 60% by 2055.
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New Stakeholders: BEFORE, insurance companies were largely excluded from the end-of-life vehicle regulatory framework. NOW, insurers are made accountable for tracking and reporting, thereby closing loopholes in accident-related vehicle scrapping.
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Baseline Database Declaration: BEFORE, historical tracking of material composition was not strictly enforced for older models. NOW, producers are required to declare the material composition of all vehicles sold between 2005-06 and 2024-25 to establish a baseline for future recycling targets.

Prelims Angle

NCERT Connection

This links directly to the Class 12 Biology NCERT chapter on 'Environmental Issues', specifically the sections dealing with Solid Waste Management and e-wastes. The amendment practically demonstrates the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility by forcing automobile manufacturers to account for the entire lifecycle and safe disposal of their hazardous products.

Practice Questions

Q1

Correct Statement(s)

With reference to the Draft Environment Protection (End-of-Life Vehicles) Amendment Rules, 2026, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. The draft amendments restrict the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework exclusively to the recovery of steel from scrapped vehicles. 2. The amendments mandate a progressive increase in the minimum recycled content of steel in vehicles, aiming for 60% by 2055.

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